The Dred Scott decision was supported by many people in the United States at the time, including:
* President James Buchanan, who wrote in his inaugural address that the decision was "a correct exposition of the Constitution."
* The Supreme Court of the United States, which ruled in a 7-2 decision that Scott was not a citizen and could not sue in federal court.
* The Democratic Party, which supported the decision as a way to maintain the balance of power between the North and the South.
* Many white Southerners, who believed that the decision was necessary to protect slavery.
Reasons for Their Support
Those who supported the Dred Scott decision did so for a variety of reasons, including:
* Racism: Many white Americans believed that blacks were inferior to whites and should not be allowed to be citizens. This belief was reflected in the decision, which stated that blacks were "beings of an inferior order" who were not entitled to the same rights as whites.
* State sovereignty: Many Southerners believed that the federal government should not be able to interfere with the institution of slavery, which they considered to be a matter of states' rights. This belief was reflected in the decision, which held that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional because it violated states' rights by prohibiting slavery in new territories.
* Political expediency: Many politicians supported the decision as a way to avoid the divisive issue of slavery. This was especially true in the North, where there was a growing abolitionist movement that was pushing for the end of slavery. By supporting the decision, Northern politicians could appease both slaveholders and abolitionists.
The Dred Scott decision was a major turning point in the history of slavery in the United States. It solidified the institution of slavery in the South and made it more difficult for abolitionists to argue for its end. The decision also contributed to the growing tensions between the North and the South, which would eventually lead to the Civil War.