How did the question of slavery cause growing tensions before the Civil War? Select the two that apply.
(2 points)
Responses
A Northern states, particularly Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, were beginning to see the value of slavery
B The Compromise of 1850 angered abolitionists of the North because it freed slaves living in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts
C The Supreme Court denied Dred Scott’s right to sue for his freedom
D The North and South disagreed on whether slavery should be allowed in the new territory gained by the Louisiana Purchase.
C The Supreme Court denied Dred Scott’s right to sue for his freedom
D The North and South disagreed on whether slavery should be allowed in the new territory gained by the Louisiana Purchase.
Explanation:
Option C references the landmark Supreme Court case Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857), in which the Court ruled that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, could not be considered American citizens and therefore had no right to sue for their freedom. This decision further polarized the nation and outraged abolitionists and those in the North who opposed the expansion of slavery.
Option D refers to the broader debate over whether new states and territories acquired by the United States (such as those from the Louisiana Purchase and subsequent acquisitions) should permit slavery. This disagreement highlighted the sectional divides between the North (which was largely anti-slavery or free soil in ideology) and the South (which sought to protect and expand the institution of slavery). These disputes led to various political compromises, including the Missouri Compromise (1820) and the Compromise of 1850, each attempting to balance the interests of free and slave states.
Options A and B are not accurate. Northern states had mostly abolished slavery by the early 19th century and did not see value in it but rather opposed its expansion. The Compromise of 1850 did not free slaves in any state but introduced measures like the Fugitive Slave Act that mandated citizens to assist in the recovery of escaped slaves, which angered abolitionists.