Dred Scott v. Sandford (case)

Dred Scott v. Sandford was a landmark Supreme Court case in 1857 where Dred Scott, an enslaved man, sued for his freedom after living in free territories. The Court ruled that Scott, as an African American, could not sue in federal court because he was not considered a citizen. Additionally, the ruling stated that Congress had no authority to prohibit slavery in the territories, effectively allowing slavery to expand. This decision intensified national tensions over slavery and contributed to the onset of the Civil War, highlighting deep divisions in the United States regarding race and rights.