It was a decision that not only upheld the legality of slavery but also declared that black people were property.
In his opinion, Supreme Court Justice, Taney declared that Scott had no legal right to sue in federal court because he was not a citizen of the United States.
Taney went further, stating that African Americans, whether free or slave, had no rights that “white men were bound to respect.”
This stunning claim basically nullified the idea of freedom for all in the United States, paving the way for the further expansion of slavery in the unincorporated territories.