Civil War Tensions and the Dred Scott Decision in 1850s America

In the 1850s, the U.S. faced high tensions over slavery, leading to the Dred Scott v. Sandford case. The Supreme Court ruled that African Americans were not citizens and could not sue in court, invalidating the Missouri Compromise. This decision, intended to prevent civil war, instead heightened tensions and contributed to the Civil War. The case is considered a grave injustice in U.S. history.

What was a major cause of tension in the United States during the 1850s?

• The expansion of slavery into the American West

• The election of Abraham Lincoln

• The Industrial Revolution

• The Gold Rush

What was the purpose of the Missouri Compromise?

• To allow California to enter as a free state

• To balance the number of slave and free states

• To abolish slavery in the southern states

• To establish a new constitution

Why did Dred Scott sue for his freedom?

• He was born in a free state

• He was captured by slave catchers

• He lived in free states with his master

• He was promised freedom by his master

What was Chief Justice Roger B. Taney's stance in the Dred Scott case?

• He wanted to expand slavery to the North

• He ruled that African Americans were not citizens

• He believed African Americans were citizens

• He supported the abolition of slavery

What was the effect of the Dred Scott decision on the Missouri Compromise?

• It expanded the Missouri Compromise

• It had no effect on the Missouri Compromise

• It declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional

• It upheld the Missouri Compromise

Which clause did Taney use to justify that slaveholders could take their property anywhere?

• The Supremacy Clause

• The Due Process Clause

• The Commerce Clause

• The Equal Protection Clause

What did Justice Benjamin Curtis argue in his dissent?

• Slavery should be abolished

• Free blacks had the right to vote in some states

• Free blacks were not citizens

• The Missouri Compromise was constitutional

How did the Dred Scott decision affect sectional tensions in the United States?

• It led to immediate peace agreements

• It heightened tensions and contributed to the Civil War

• It had no impact on sectional tensions

• It eased tensions between the North and South

What is the Dred Scott decision often considered in the history of the Supreme Court?

• One of the worst decisions

• A landmark decision for civil rights

• A decision that had no lasting impact

• A decision that ended slavery

What was the ultimate outcome of the Dred Scott decision?

• It resulted in Dred Scott's freedom

• It was upheld by later Supreme Court decisions

• It was overturned by the 13th and 14th Amendments

• It led to the immediate abolition of slavery