The Dredd Scott decision:
*declared that Congress could not prohibit slavery from a territory
*struck down the Kansas-Nebraska Act
*stated that a slave was property and could never be a citizen
*allowed slavery in every state in the Union
http://www.google.com/search?q=Dred+Scott+decision&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
Surely all four can't be correct. Read carefully, and let us know what you think.
The statements you provided about the Dred Scott decision are not entirely accurate. The Dred Scott decision was a landmark ruling by the United States Supreme Court in 1857. It is essential to understand its actual implications to clarify the inaccuracies in your statements.
1. The Dred Scott decision did declare that Congress could not prohibit slavery from a territory. The Supreme Court ruled that the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had prohibited slavery north of the 36°30' parallel in the Louisiana Territory, was unconstitutional. This decision opened up the possibility of slavery being allowed in any territory, as it implied that Congress did not have the power to regulate it.
2. The Dred Scott decision did not strike down the Kansas-Nebraska Act. In fact, the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 was not directly involved in the ruling. However, the decision did have significant implications for the Kansas-Nebraska Act, as it further exacerbated tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions, leading to increased violence in the Kansas Territory.
3. The Dred Scott decision did state that a slave was property and could not be a citizen. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney wrote the majority opinion, which argued that African Americans, whether free or enslaved, were not citizens and did not have the right to sue in federal court. The Court declared that slaves were property, and therefore, their owners had the right to take them into any territory and maintain ownership over them.
4. The Dred Scott decision did not explicitly allow slavery in every state in the Union. The decision did suggest that since Congress did not have the authority to regulate slavery in the territories, the institution of slavery could potentially exist in any state. However, the ruling did not automatically legalize slavery in all states nor override state laws.
Overall, the Dred Scott decision was highly controversial. It further divided the nation, deepening the dispute between the North and the South over the expansion of slavery and contributing to the events that eventually led to the American Civil War.