Did The Dred Scott decision make the slavery issue better or worse?
The Dred Scott decision, delivered by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1857, made the slavery issue worse. The court ruled against Dred Scott, an enslaved African American man who sued for his freedom. The decision held that African Americans, whether free or enslaved, were not considered American citizens and therefore had no standing to sue in federal court.
The ruling further declared that Congress had no power to regulate slavery in the territories, which led to the invalidation of the Missouri Compromise of 1820. This decision effectively worsened the sectional tensions between the North and the South, as it endorsed and protected the institution of slavery and denied basic rights to African Americans.
By escalating the conflict over slavery and denying the humanity and citizenship of African Americans, the Dred Scott decision exacerbated the tensions that ultimately led to the American Civil War.