The Supreme Court Case That Led to The Civil War | Dred Scott v. Sandford

Summary

The Dred Scott case, spanning from 1830 to 1857, involved a slave seeking freedom after living in free territories. Despite initial success in a Missouri court, the decision was overturned by the Missouri Supreme Court and later the US Supreme Court, which ruled against Scott, denying his citizenship and upholding slavery. The ruling intensified sectional tensions, contributing to the Civil War. Despite the court's decision, Scott was freed by his owner shortly after, but he died the following year without seeing the subsequent legal overturning of the ruling.

Takeaways

• 🕍 Dr. John Emerson, a U.S. Army surgeon, purchased Dred Scott as a slave between 1830 and 1833.
• 📍 Emerson moved with Scott to Illinois, a free state, and later to Wisconsin, a free territory, which raised questions about Scott's status.
• 💑 Dred Scott married Harriet Robinson, another slave, while in Wisconsin.
• 🏠 Emerson returned to Missouri, a slave state, and later died, leaving his wife Irene to inherit Scott and his family.
• 💼 Dred and Harriet Scott attempted to buy their freedom but were unsuccessful.
• 📜 The Scotts sued Irene Emerson for their freedom in 1846 but lost the case on a technicality.
• 🏛️ They were granted freedom after a second trial in 1850, but this decision was overturned by the Missouri Supreme Court.
• 📈 Dred Scott sued again in federal court in 1853, this time against Irene's brother, John Sanford, who had become his owner.
• 🏢 The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court as Dred Scott v. Sandford, with a misspelling of Sanford's name.
• 🏁 The Supreme Court ruled against Scott in 1857, stating that he was not a citizen and had no right to sue, and that Congress could not ban slavery in territories.
• 🔄 The Dred Scott Decision intensified sectional tensions and is considered one of the worst Supreme Court rulings, leading to the Civil War.
• 🏆 Despite the ruling, the Scotts were eventually freed, and Dred Scott worked at a hotel before his death shortly after gaining freedom.

Q & A

Who was Dred Scott and what was his initial status?

Dred Scott was a slave purchased by Dr. John Emerson, a United States Army surgeon, sometime between 1830 and 1833.

Why was Dred Scott's relocation to Illinois significant?

Dred Scott's relocation to Illinois was significant because Illinois was a free state where slavery was illegal, which later became a key point in his legal battles for freedom.

What happened when Dred Scott moved to Wisconsin territory?

When Dred Scott moved to the territory of Wisconsin, which is now part of Minnesota, he was again in an area where slavery was illegal, further complicating his status.

Who did Dred Scott marry and under what circumstances?

Dred Scott married Harriet Robinson, another slave owned by Lawrence Taliaferro, while they were both in the Wisconsin territory where slavery was illegal.

How did Dred Scott's legal battles for freedom begin?

Dred Scott's legal battles for freedom began when he and his wife Harriet, with the help of legal advisors, sued Irene Emerson, the widow of John Emerson, on April 6, 1846, to obtain freedom from slavery.

What was the outcome of Dred Scott's first lawsuit?

The first lawsuit resulted in a loss for the Scotts due to a technicality; they could not prove they were actually Irene Emerson's slaves.

Why did the Missouri Supreme Court reverse the decision granting Dred Scott his freedom?

The Missouri Supreme Court reversed the decision because it argued that the Scotts were still slaves and should have sued for freedom when they had the chance while living in a free state.

What was the main question that Roswell Field wanted the Supreme Court to settle?

Roswell Field wanted the Supreme Court to settle whether living in a free state or territory permanently freed a slave.

Why was the Supreme Court case known as Dred Scott v. Sandford instead of Dred Scott v. Sanford?

The case was known as Dred Scott v. Sandford due to a clerk's error in spelling John Sanford's name in the court records, which was never corrected.

What was the Supreme Court's decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford and what were its implications?

The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in favor of Sanford, denying Dred Scott and his family their freedom. The Court also declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional and ruled that Congress lacked the power to ban slavery in U.S. territories.

How did the Dred Scott Decision contribute to the tensions leading up to the Civil War?

The Dred Scott Decision intensified the divide between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions, solidifying the North's opposition to slavery and contributing to the tensions that eventually led to the Civil War.

What was the eventual fate of Dred Scott and his family after the Supreme Court's decision?

Despite the Supreme Court's decision, Dred Scott and his family were freed a couple of months later. Scott found employment at a St. Louis hotel, but he died the following year without living to see the overturning of the decision through the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments and the Civil Rights Act of 1866.