Dred Scott v. Sandford

The Impact of Dred Scott v. Sandford

A landmark Supreme Court case that intensified the national debate over slavery. The ruling declared that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, were not U.S. citizens and therefore had no rights to sue in federal court. This decision further divided the nation and contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War.

Dred Scott background

• Dred Scott was born into slavery in Virginia in 1795.

• He was forced to move many times because of the slave trade.

• First, he was sold to John Emerson who took him and his wife to Missouri where slavery was allowed.

• Later, John Emerson left Dred Scott with his brother, John Sanford, who was a doctor for the U.S. Army.

Dred Scott background continued

• John Sanford was often moved to different places to treat soldiers and he brought Dred Scott with him to the state of Illinois and then to the Wisconsin territory.

  • Both of these places were free territories where slavery was not allowed.

• When Dred Scott returned to Missouri, he sued for his freedom. He said that since he had lived in a free territory, he should be free.

The case went all the way to the Supreme Court

Dropdown

Dred Scott briefly lived in Illinois and Wisconsin which were both

Select answer

states

Dred Scott's Motive & Argument

• Dred Scott sued for his freedom because he wanted to fight for his freedom.

• The main argument in his case was that since he had lived in a "free state" and a "free territory," he deserved to be granted freedom.

• His case aimed to challenge the institution of slavery and establish the rights of enslaved individuals.
  

• This landmark legal battle brought attention to the divisive issue of slavery and its impact on the nation's unity.

Multiple Select

What (1) reason and (1) argument Dred Scott used when he sued for his freedom? [2 answers required]

• He wanted to live in a free territory

• He wanted to fight for his freedom

• He wanted to bring the North and the South closer together

• He wanted to make people in the South happy and people in the North angry

• He had previously lived in free territories

Dred Scott v. Sandford

The Ruling of The Supreme Court:
1) Dred Scott would remain enslaved
2) Black people (free or enslaved) were not considered to be citizens of the US
3) Because Black people were not citizens, they had no rights.
4) Congress could not stop the spread of slavery to new territories

This decision further divided the nation and fueled the abolitionist movement.

It was a major setback for the fight against slavery.

• Denied citizenship to African Americans

• Strengthened pro-slavery sentiments (feelings)

• Contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War

Multiple Choice

What was the Supreme Court's decision in the Dred Scott case?

• Scott was granted his freedom

• Black people were granted citizenship

• Congress was able to stop slavery from spreading

• Scott was still considered a slave

The North's Reaction

The people in the North were furious with the Supreme Court's decision in the Dred Scott case.


They believed that the decision allowed slavery to spread, which went against their anti-slavery beliefs.


This decision further intensified the tensions between the North and the South, ultimately leading to the American Civil War.

Multiple Choice

What was the reaction of people in the North to the Supreme Court's decision in the Dred Scott case?

• They were happy because they believed it would end slavery.

• They were indifferent because they didn't care about the issue of slavery.

• They were mad because they thought the Supreme Court said it was okay for slavery to spread.

• They were relieved because they thought it would lead to the abolition of slavery.

Key Facts

• WHO: Dred Scott - an enslaved man who sued for his freedom

• WHAT: Supreme Court Decision - Scott would remain enslaved, Black people couldn't be citizens, and Congress couldn't stop slavery from spreading

• WHEN: 1857

• HOW DID THE COUNTRY REACT: The North was upset about slavery spreading, the South thought Court approved the practice of slavery. This was one of the factors that led to the Civil War.

• Impacts: Ruled that African Americans were not citizens and had no rights; Was one of the factors that led to the Civil War

Multiple Select

What was the impact of the Dred Scott v. Sandford court case?

• It granted citizenship to African Americans.

• It ruled that African Americans had no rights.

• It allowed African Americans to sue for their freedom.

• It was a factor that caused the Civil War

• It led to the abolition of slavery.

Do you know...?

The ruling in the Dred Scott case stated that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, were not considered citizens and therefore had no rights under the Constitution.






Trivia: Which Constitutional Amendments ended slavery & granted formerly enslaved people citizenship?





Answer: The 13th and 14th Amendments.