Why was the Dred Scott case so important? Why did it increase tensions in the US?

The Dred Scott case was important for several reasons:

1. Legal Status of Slavery: The Supreme Court's decision in the Dred Scott case established that slaves were not citizens, but property. This meant that they had no legal rights or protections under the U.S. Constitution.

2. Expansion of Slavery: The decision also ruled that Congress could not prohibit slavery in new territories. This opened the door for the potential expansion of slavery throughout the country.

3. Invalidated the Missouri Compromise: The ruling effectively invalidated the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had maintained a delicate balance between slave and free states.

The Dred Scott decision increased tensions in the U.S. for the following reasons:

1. North-South Divide: The decision deepened the divide between the North and South. Many Northerners were outraged by the decision, viewing it as a further expansion of Southern slave power.

2. Political Tensions: The decision also increased political tensions. It was a major issue in the 1860 presidential election, contributing to the election of Abraham Lincoln, a candidate who was opposed by many Southerners.

3. Prelude to Civil War: The Dred Scott decision is often cited as one of the contributing factors to the outbreak of the Civil War. The decision, and the tensions it inflamed, helped set the stage for the conflict.