Dred Scott Decision Research Paper

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Dred Scott was a black man who was born into slavery around 1800. Like all slaves do, he wanted his freedom. He sued for freedom, leading to one of the most controversial decisions in American history. The Dred Scott Decision declined his freedom and ultimately ruled control over slaves’ rights. The Dred Scott decision was a failure, and it impacted the African Americans and northerners negatively. Around 1820, Dred Scott lived in the newly formed slave state of Missouri with his owner, Peter Blow. Scott was then sold to a U.S. army surgeon, John Emerson. Scott accompanied him to posts in Illinois, Minnesota and the Wisconsin Territory, where slavery had been prohibited by the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Scott continued to be a slave despite living in the free states. Emerson then left for Louisiana, leaving Scott in Wisconsin. In 1842, Emerson returned as a married person. He died the next year, and his wife, Eliza, took over as Scott’s owner. She brought him back to Louisiana then eventually to Missouri. …show more content…
He was confident in winning the case, because he had lived on free soil for two years. The court reached a decision and stated that he must continue to be a slave, because he was living in a slave state at the time. After losing his first trial, Scott then took his case to the U.S. Supreme Court. At the time, his new owner was John Sandford, Eliza’s brother. Scott was not ready to give up the fight for his own freedom. With the help of a new team of anti-slavery lawyers, he filed suit in St. Louis Federal Court in 1854 against John Sanford. Since Sanford was a New York resident, the case was taken to the Federal courts due to diversity of residence. Scott argued that his time spent in the free states and territories should entitle him to

Dred Scott Decision Research Paper

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