In Dred Scott v.Sandford (1857), the Supreme Court determined that

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The Supreme Court ruled that slaves were not citizens of the United States and therefore had no standing to sue in federal court. This decision also effectively invalidated the Missouri Compromise, which had prohibited slavery in certain territories north of the 36°30' parallel. Scott's argument that his residence in free territories had made him free was dismissed by the Court, which further stated that Congress did not have the power to pass legislation to prohibit slavery in territories. The decision was widely criticized by anti-slavery groups and contributed to the growing tensions between North and South leading up to the Civil War.

In Dred Scott V