What was the central issue in the Dred Scott v. Sandford case?

The central issue in the Dred Scott v. Sandford case revolved around Dred Scott's claim for freedom based on his residence in free territory. Scott, an enslaved African American man, had lived in Illinois and the Wisconsin Territory, both of which were free areas under the laws of that time. He argued that his time spent in these free territories entitled him to his freedom upon returning to Missouri, a slave state.

The case ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that Scott was not a citizen and therefore could not sue in federal court. Furthermore, the Court declared that Congress had no authority to prohibit slavery in the territories, which effectively invalidated the Missouri Compromise. This ruling had significant implications for the expansion of slavery in the United States and heightened tensions that contributed to the Civil War.

The other options, while related to Dred Scott's story, do not capture the essence of the main legal issue the case addressed.