There were several events in the 1850s that drove the North and the South further apart. One of those events was the Dred Scott decision issued by the Supreme Court in 1857.
Dred Scott was a slave. His owner took him to free territory. With the help of anti-slavery lawyers, Dred Scott went to court to sue for his freedom. He believed he should be free since he was taken to free territory.
The Supreme Court disagreed. The Supreme Court said this case should never have been in the court system. Since Dred Scott was a slave, he was considered to be property. A person's property is protected by the Constitution. Thus, it made no difference if Dred Scott was in a slave area or a free area. A slave is considered as property, and property can’t be taken away from its owners. The Supreme Court also said the Missouri Compromise was illegal. The same was true for popular sovereignty.
The South was thrilled by this decision. This was a pro-slavery ruling. The ruling outraged the North. It showed how slavery was dividing the country in the 1850s.
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