What was a consequence of the Dred Scott decision in relation to previous compromises?

The Dred Scott decision, delivered by the Supreme Court in 1857, declared that African Americans, whether free or enslaved, could not be American citizens and therefore had no standing to sue in federal court. Importantly, the ruling also stated that the federal government lacked the authority to regulate slavery in the territories, directly challenging the framework established by the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had attempted to maintain a balance between slave and free states by restricting slavery north of the 36°30′ parallel.

By declaring the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, the Dred Scott decision effectively undermined previous efforts to achieve a compromise on the issue of slavery's expansion. This ruling exacerbated tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions, contributing significantly to the sectional divide leading up to the Civil War. The idea that Congress could make laws regarding slavery in the territories, as established by the Missouri Compromise, was fundamentally rejected, which had far-reaching implications for future compromises and the national discussion around slavery.