Question

In the case of ________, the Supreme Court ruled that a black man, slave or free, was Chattel and had no rights under a white man' s government; it also ruled that Congress had no power to ban slavery in the western territories.

Answer 1

In the Dred Scott v. Sandford case, the Supreme Court ruled that Black people were not U.S. citizens and that Congress couldn't ban slavery in the territories, effectively permitting the spread of slavery.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the landmark case of Dred Scott v. Sandford, the Supreme Court made several key rulings that had profound implications on the status of Black people and the spread of slavery in the United States. Firstly, the Court ruled that Dred Scott, an enslaved Black man who had lived in free states and territories, was not entitled to his freedom and remained enslaved. It further declared that Black people were not citizens of the United States and hence had no right to sue in federal court. Chief Justice Roger Taney wrote the decision and stated that Congress had no power to prohibit slavery in the territories, effectively invalidating measures like the Missouri Compromise which had been attempting to limit slavery's expansion.

Chief Justice Taney's decision was also significant in affirming that slaves were considered property under the Constitution. By ruling that Congress could not interfere with an owner's right to their property, the Supreme Court's decision bolstered the pro-slavery stance and had the effect of allowing the spread of slavery into new territories. This decision was pivotal in escalating tensions that eventually led to the American Civil War.