Final answer:
The Dred Scott decision fueled the sectional divide in the U.S. by denying citizenship to African Americans and supporting the expansion of slavery, angering northerners and Republicans, while pleasing southerners and ensuring the Republican platform was unconstitutional.
Step-by-step explanation:
Impact of the Dred Scott Decision
The Dred Scott decision had a profound effect on the political landscape of the United States. The Supreme Court ruled that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, could not be considered citizens of the United States. This decision meant that they had no legal standing to sue for their freedom. Moreover, the ruling stated that Congress had no power to prohibit slavery in the federal territories, nullifying the Missouri Compromise and rendering the Republican platform unconstitutional.
This decision delighted southerners as it safeguarded slavery and seemed to affirm it as a national institution. Northerners were outraged, however, as it confirmed their fears regarding southern slave power and made the sectional divide in the country even more pronounced. The ruling complicated the political scene, especially for northern Democrats and aggravated issues leading up to the Lincoln-Douglas debates, ultimately contributing to the escalating tensions that led to the Civil War.
While Republicans refused to accept the decision, the South viewed the ruling as a victory, anticipating that it would weaken or even dissolve the Republican Party. Conversely, the decision only intensified Republican determination to oppose the expansion of slavery, setting the stage for significant political and societal upheavals in the years to come.