Summary Of The Dred Scott Case

Dred Scott was a black slave that traveled to the Illinois and Wisconsin Territories with Dr. Emerson, his master. While Dred Scott was located in the free territory, he was considered a free man. Eventually, both Scott and Emerson moved to Saint Louis, Missouri, a slave state, which meant Scott would no longer be considered free. When they arrived in Missouri, Dr. Emerson died leaving Dred Scott in the hands of Emerson’s wife. Dred Scott sued Mrs. Emerson in 1846, to defend his claim that he was no longer a slave. Once in court, the jury reached a verdict that Dred Scott and his family should retain their freedom, but this didn’t go over so well with the remaining Emersons. The decision that the jury released enraged the Emersons, so they

Sanford was the man who had procured him from Mrs. Emerson, after Dr. Emerson died. Dred Scott wouldn’t give up because freedom was all that matter to him. The case known as, Dred Scott vs Sanford, began and Scott still held the same position. He argued that he was absolutely a free man because of his late owner, who had taken him to the free states. But once again, the courts determined that Dred Scott wouldn’t be granted his freedom. The Supreme Court was summoned back into this case by Scott, but they didn’t support his claim or even give a reasonable statement regarding this decision. All Supreme Court Justices voted in favor for Sanford, and stated that “no black, free or slave, could claim U.S. citizenship, and therefore blacks were unable to petition the court for their freedom,” meaning Dred Scott lost again. After this trial, “the case grew in scope and significance as slavery became the single most explosive issue in American

John Sanford case was overturned with the aid of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendment. The Thirteenth Amendment pronounced that slavery was abolished, and along with that comes the Fourteenth Amendment, which entitled citizenship for all men, including blacks. Scott's case was still a popular topic for discussion when the Constitution was ratified guaranteeing that slavery would not enter the new midwestern territories of the United States. Dred Scott’s case helped settle many contradictory cases. The court was pro slavery, and their motives to keep Dred Scott a slave failed. Scott knew he had to fight for not only his own freedom, but every other colored man’s freedom that put their faith in him. Because of this long journey Scott took, slavery was abolished. Who knew this case would ever turnaround, only time would tell. All persons born in the United States were NOW declared to be United States citizens, signifying that the Scott vs. Sanford case truly reversed the way people viewed the nation. Sadly, Dred Scott’s life came to an end, but he wouldn’t be forgotten after all the chaos the court’s put him through. With his bravery and determination he helped to eradicate slavery, and all people of color were free, never again to be enslaved therefore reiterating the saying, “once free, always