Which element of the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision heightened tensions between the North and South?

The Dred Scott v. Sandford decision is a pivotal moment in American history that significantly heightened tensions between the North and South regarding the issue of slavery. The ruling stated that Congress could not prohibit slavery in the territories, which had far-reaching implications for the balance of power between free and slave states. This stance reinforced the Southern states' position on slavery, as it secured the right to bring enslaved people into the territories without fear of prohibition, thus threatening the efforts made by abolitionists and the free states to limit or prevent the spread of slavery into new territories.

The decision ignited strong opposition in the Northern states, contributing to growing sectional conflict. It fueled the abolition movement and contributed to the formation of the Republican Party, which opposed the expansion of slavery. Therefore, the assertion that Congress lacked the authority to regulate slavery in the territories was a catalyst for political and social unrest, leading to an escalation of tensions that ultimately contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War.