Dred Scott v. Sanford was a landmark case in which the Supreme Court ruled that African Americans, regardless of whether they were free or enslaved, were not citizens of the United States and could not sue in federal court. This decision further widened the rift between the North and the South and contributed to the growing tensions that ultimately led to the Civil War.
In the Prize Cases, the Supreme Court upheld the legality of President Abraham Lincolns executive order to blockade Confederate ports. The Court ruled that the Union had the right to blockade southern ports as an act of war and that ships and cargoes seized during the blockade could be considered lawful prizes. This decision solidified the Union's control over the coastline and helped to cut off the Confederacy's access to international trade and resources.
While the Supreme Court did not directly decide any cases that could have prevented or ended the Civil War, its decisions in Dred Scott and the Prize Cases had a significant impact on the conflict and helped to shape the legal and constitutional landscape of the war.