Examine the response of northerners in general and Republican Party leaders in particular to the Dred Scott decision. How did Republican leaders use the decision to strengthen their coalition in the North?

The response of northerners in general to the Dred Scott decision was one of outrage and opposition. The decision, which declared that African Americans, whether free or enslaved, were not and could never be citizens of the United States, was seen as a major setback for the anti-slavery movement in the North. Many northerners saw the decision as evidence of the pro-slavery bias of the Supreme Court and the federal government as a whole.

Republican Party leaders, in particular, used the Dred Scott decision to strengthen their coalition in the North by capitalizing on the widespread anger and opposition to the ruling. They framed the decision as a clear example of the pro-slavery agenda of the Democratic Party and the incumbent administration of President James Buchanan. Republican leaders argued that the decision was a direct threat to the rights and freedoms of all Americans, and they used it as a rallying cry to galvanize support for their anti-slavery platform.

By positioning themselves as the party that would fight against the expansion of slavery and protect the rights of African Americans, Republican leaders were able to attract a broad coalition of anti-slavery activists, abolitionists, and disaffected northern Democrats. The Dred Scott decision became a central issue in the 1860 presidential election, and the Republican Party's strong stance against the ruling helped them secure the presidency for their candidate, Abraham Lincoln. In this way, Republican leaders effectively used the Dred Scott decision to strengthen their coalition in the North and build momentum for their anti-slavery agenda.