"And if the Constitution recognizes the right of property of the master in a slave, and makes no distinction between that description of property and other property owned by a citizen, no Tribunal, acting under the authority of the United States, whether it be legislative, executive, or judicial, has a right to draft such a distinction, or deny to it the benefit of the provisions and guarantees which have been provided for the protection of private property against the encroachments of the Government."
— Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, majority opinion in Dred Scott v. Sandford, 1857
Which of the following was a direct result of the Supreme Court decision excerpted above?
- AIt successfully resolved sectional disputes by proving that the conflict was primarily driven by federal tariff policies rather than the expansion of slavery.
- It declared federal restrictions on the expansion of slavery in the territories unconstitutional, significantly intensifying sectional divisions.Answer
- CIt created a legal path for enslaved individuals to transition into indentured servants with guaranteed land grants after a set period.
- DIt affirmed that the federal executive branch held the unilateral constitutional authority to decide whether new territories would permit slavery.
Answer
The decision declared federal restrictions on the expansion of slavery in the territories unconstitutional, significantly intensifying sectional divisions.
The correct answer is correct because the Supreme Court's ruling in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) held that Congress had no power to ban slavery in U.S. territories. This declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional and ruled that African Americans were not citizens and could not sue in federal court. This decision polarized the nation by threatening the platform of the Republican Party and the concept of popular sovereignty, bringing the nation closer to civil war.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The Dred Scott Decision and Territorial Slavery