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

The central issue of the Dred Scott v. Sandford case revolved around whether enslaved people could sue for their freedom, which is precisely what Scott sought to accomplish. In this landmark Supreme Court case decided in 1857, Dred Scott, an enslaved African American man, argued that he should be granted his freedom based on his residence in a free state and a free territory. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled that Scott did not have the legal standing to sue because, as an enslaved person, he was not considered a citizen under the Constitution.

This decision had significant implications for the status of enslaved individuals and citizenship rights in the United States, as it essentially denied any legal grounds for enslaved people to claim their freedom through the courts. The ruling further heightened tensions between free and slave states, contributing to the growing sectional conflict that would lead to the Civil War.

The other options do not accurately reflect the key legal question addressed in this case. The issue of state taxation of the federal government, congressional authority over a national bank, and immigrant citizenship were not central to this particular case. Instead, the focus was squarely on the rights of enslaved individuals and their ability to seek legal recognition and freedom.