What did the Dred Scott v. Sanford decision establish regarding slaves?

The Dred Scott v. Sanford decision established that slaves were considered property, regardless of their location. This landmark ruling, decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1857, highlighted the legal stance that enslaved individuals did not have the same rights as citizens, and thus were not entitled to legal protections or freedoms that might otherwise be afforded to individuals in free states. The Court ruled that Congress had no authority to prohibit slavery in federal territories, reinforcing the idea that enslaved people were essentially viewed as chattel or property. This decision had profound implications for the institution of slavery within the United States and significantly influenced the trajectory toward the Civil War.