1. Deepened Sectional Divisions: The Dred Scott decision further deepened the divide between the North and South on the issue of slavery. Northern states, which had been increasingly critical of slavery, saw the ruling as a blatant disregard for human rights and an attempt to extend slavery into free territories. Meanwhile, Southern states celebrated the decision as a legal justification for their institution of slavery.
2. Increased Abolitionist Sentiment: The decision galvanized the abolitionist movement in the North. Abolitionists argued that if the Supreme Court could decide that enslaved individuals were not citizens, then the Constitution could not be relied upon to protect their rights. This led to a surge in support for abolitionist organizations and increased efforts to resist the spread of slavery.
3. Heightened Tensions: The ruling inflamed tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions, making it even harder to find common ground and compromise on the issue of slavery. The decision contributed to the growing political and social unrest in the United States, culminating in the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.
4. Contributed to the Republican Party's Rise: The Dred Scott decision played a significant role in the rise of the Republican Party, which was formed in 1854 in opposition to the expansion of slavery. The party attracted anti-slavery Northerners who were outraged by the Supreme Court's ruling and sought to prevent the further spread of slavery into new territories.
5. Legal Precedent Overturned: The Dred Scott decision was eventually overturned by the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1865, which abolished slavery in the United States. The amendment declared that "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
Overall, while the Dred Scott decision did not directly lead to the immediate end of slavery, it exacerbated tensions, fueled abolitionist sentiment, and contributed to the broader political and social movements that eventually brought about the abolition of slavery in the United States.