What was the primary conclusion of the Dred Scott decision regarding the status of Dred Scott?

The primary conclusion of the Dred Scott decision was that Dred Scott was an enslaved person who could not sue because he was considered property. This ruling, delivered by the Supreme Court in 1857, asserted that African Americans, whether free or enslaved, could not be American citizens and therefore had no standing to bring a lawsuit in federal court. The court maintained that since Scott was considered property under the law, he was not entitled to the rights and protections that citizens enjoyed, which included the right to seek legal recourse. This decision reinforced the institution of slavery and exacerbated tensions leading up to the Civil War, highlighting the deep divisions in American society regarding issues of race and citizenship at that time.