The Case Of Dred Scott V. Sandford

Roger Brooke Taney made history in the 1857 Dred Scott Case by ruling that black slaves were not citizens of the United States. This controversial historical figure died on October 12, 1864, in Washington, D.C. One of Robert’s most famous quotes was "What Dred Scott's master might lawfully do with Dred Scott, in the free state of Illinois, every other master may lawfully do with any other one, or 1,000 slaves, in Illinois, or in any other free state. "What Robert is saying is that a master of a slave can do whatever he/she wants with that slave. By the time Roger B Taney became Chief Justice, Taney had become a staunch supporter of slavery, even though he had manumitted eleven slaves he inherited as a young man and made anti-slavery statements when serving as defense

To first understand why Mr. Dred Scott decided to sue for his freedom, we have to understand the prelude to his story. Even before Dred Scott was born a case in London was buzzing that would emancipate slaves and some historians believe the case contributed to increasing colonial support for separatism in the Thirteen Colonies of British North America, by parties on both sides of the slavery question who wanted to establish independent government and law (Britannica). The case was Somerset v. Stewart and it has been deemed one of the most important legal actions in the history of the antislavery movement (Weiner 71). The facts of the case were that James Somerset was a slave of Charles Stewart, an officer in the British colony of Boston in

Scott lived in Wisconsin for four years on a slavery plantation. Dr. John Emerson and his family lived in Louisiana and then St. Louis up until 1843, when John Emerson passed away. Three years later in 1846, Dred Scott proposed to buy his and his family’s freedom from Mrs. Sanford. Dred Scott sued Emerson, and argued that because

In 1833, Dred Scott was purchased as a slave by John Emerson, an army surgeon who was moved from Missouri, the place he was bought, to a base in the Wisconsin Territory. However, under the Missouri Compromise of 1820, slavery was banned there, making the area a “free” state. Nonetheless, Scott continued to work as a laborer for Emerson for the next four years, and was a hired hand whenever the surgeon would go out of town for business. After moving around with Emerson, as well as his family, Scott was willed to Emerson’s wife Eliza Irene Stanford after his owner’s death in 1843. Eliza refused to set the Scott family free after they wished to purchase their freedom, causing Dred Scott to sue her in a state court, alleging that he was free under

Annotated Timeline Dred Scott January 1799 -1832; Dred Scott’s birth and early life Samuel Dred Scott was born into slavery and was owned by his master at the time Peter Blow and his wife Elizabeth, who all lived in Southampton County, Virginia. His birth date and details are roughly known and estimated. The Blows’ family and all other slaves that he owned including Scott, moved to Alabama where Scott works in a cotton plantation for 12 years. The Blows’ relocated to St. Louis Missouri giving up on farming and Dred Scott is then sold to Dr. John Emerson who was a surgeon in the United States Army. December 1833- 1843; Dred Scott New Master – Dr. John Emerson Dr. Emerson and Scott relocated from the Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis Missouri to Fort Armstrong, Illinois.

Dred Scott was a slave in Missouri, but from 1833-1843, he lived in places where slavery was illegal. When Scott returned to Missouri, he believed that because he lived in free territory, he was a free man. He sued without success in Missouri courts. Scott’s master said that Dred Scott couldn’t be a citizen because of Article III of the Constitution. In the end, Dred Scott lost and had to return to slavery.

Have you ever heard of Dred Scott?He was a brave african american , he sued his owner for his freedom in 1857.Dred Scott was an example to other slaves to stand up for their freedom. First of , Dred Scott 's early life . Born in Virginia in 1799 as a slave of the peter Bowl family . He was a slave because he was in a slave state . After Bows moved to St.Louis Dred was sold to Dr.John Emerson.

Louis, Missouri by his owners in 1830. In the following years soon after moving he was sold to Dr. John Emerson. With his owner being an army doctor they traveled very frequently, leading Dred Scott into many placed against the idea of slavery. For seven years, he lived in slave free territories. After the death of his owner John Emerson, he was then considered property of Emerson’s wife.

Prior to this decision, Dred was enslaved in Alabama, then was brought to Missouri. From there, he was sold to John Emerson, who brought him to Wisconsin territory. Soon after, he was brought back to Missouri. Once in Missouri, Dred Scott, and his wife Harriet filed for their freedom in Missouri court. Eleven years later, Chief Justice Roger Taney denied Scott in Washington D.C. due to three rulings; African-Americans had no rights in federal court, Slave states no longer had to follow the doctrine “Once free, Always free”, Congress should never have banned slavery in any territories.

He also said that even though Scott once lived in Illinois and Wisconsin that were free, he lived in Missouri now and had to follow Missouri

Dred Scott was born was a slave in the state of Virginia and was owned by Peter Blow, who died in 1832. Scott only had two masters after Blow’s death; one lived in Wisconsin and later Illinois, both of which prohibited slavery, yet, Scott didn’t petition for freedom. Instead he met his wife Harriet. The two met their new master in Louisiana, who did not grant them freedom, so Scott looked for legal action to escape his slavery. Over a period of seven years, he went through trial and retrial until he was denied his final freedom in 1854.

In the Dred Scott decision Supreme Court Justice Robert Taney declared slaves as property. In 1857, Taney declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional and it should not be illegal to have slaves anywhere. He believed slaves were property therefore, Dred Scott had no right to sue his master for taking him to a free state. This infuriated many abolitionists Political issues of the South centered on slavery. The South fought every chance they could to keep their

Dred Scott Dred Scott was born into slavery in the state of Virginia in 1799, but spent many years in several other states in which he was illegally enslaved. Having to move to Missouri with his slave master, Scott spent many years with him as a slave until his master passed away and he was then purchased by John Emerson. When Scott’s owner refused to free him, he then sued for his freedom. Dred Scott lived from 1799 to september 17, 1858. Dred Scott was the first enslaved african american to sue for his freedom, he formed a foundation for future laws against slavery with this case, and he gave hope to all who opposed slavery.

This was not the end, though, as a slave named Dred Scott attempted to fight for his rights as a slave in a free state at the

Dred Scott was sued for his freedom on the grounds that he had lived for a time in a "free" territory. The Court ruled against him, saying that under the Constitution, he was his master 's property. The people involved with this court case are the Supreme Court,Dred Scott, and Chief Justice Roger B. The final judgment for this case ended up in Dred Scott 's favor.