Firstly, the decision further polarized the nation on the issue of slavery. It infuriated abolitionists, who saw it as a blatant example of pro-slavery bias in the government, and emboldened pro-slavery advocates. The decision also nullified the Missouri Compromise, which had been a temporary solution to the slavery issue and had helped to maintain a delicate balance between free and slave states in the Union.
Secondly, the decision contributed to the belief among many Northerners that the federal government was controlled by Southern interests and that they could not rely on the government to protect their rights. This feeling of disenfranchisement led many to support the Republican Party, which was strongly opposed to the expansion of slavery and favored the rights of free labor.
Finally, the Dred Scott decision demonstrated the limitations of the legal system in resolving the fundamental issues of slavery and race in America. It showed that legal decisions alone could not resolve the deep-seated social, economic, and political conflicts that had developed around slavery.
In summary, while the Dred Scott decision was a legal victory for Southern slave owners, it contributed to the tensions that eventually led to the Civil War by further polarizing the nation on the issue of slavery, increasing Northern disenfranchisement, and exposing the limitations of the legal system in resolving the fundamental issues of slavery and race