Dred Scott Decision
The issue of slavery still remained unresolved in the United States. One of the only working attempts to slowly stop slavery was the Missouri Compromise. The Missouri Compromise,passed in 1820, prohibited slavery in the Lousiana Territory north of the 36 degree latitude line. Although this compromise partially delt with the issue of slavery, it would quickly be repealed.
Dred Scott was an enslaved person his whole life. Scott and his family had been owned by a former U.S army doctor. During his time living with the doctor, Dred had lived in Illinois and in the Wisconsin Territory. Realizing that slavery was illegal in both places, Scott sued for his freedom. With the help of antislavery lawyers, Scott finally presented himself in the Supreme Court as a freeman. He argued that because he lived on frees soil, he was therefore free. After long and bitter debates, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney had made his decision. Dred Scott was not a freeman. Taney argued that because Dred was African American, he should not even be allowed to sue in court because they were not citizens. Also Taney stated that slaves were property and just because he lived on free land did not make him a freeman. According to Taney, property rights were protected in the Constitution, classifying Dred Dcott as property. Just as everyone had thought the case had been dismissed, Roger continued to speak. He declared that the Constitution gave Congress no power to stop slavery, and as a result, the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional.
The Dred Scott case had quickly become well known. As more and more people became informed of the case, the reactions of the colonists were very opinionated. Colonists who supported slavery were ecstatic. Many southerners were fearing that the North would gain too much control in Congress and eventually destroy their way of life. After hearing the news, southerners were confident that their way of life (slavery) would remain legal for a long time. On the other hand, Northerners, or antislavery colonists, were furious. With the Missouri Compromise, many northerners had hoped that at least the spread of slavery would be stopped, but as a result of the Dred Scott Decision, their hopes had faded. In conclusion, even though another African American's rights had been stripped away from them, the fight for the abolition of slavery was not over.
Dred Scott was an enslaved person his whole life. Scott and his family had been owned by a former U.S army doctor. During his time living with the doctor, Dred had lived in Illinois and in the Wisconsin Territory. Realizing that slavery was illegal in both places, Scott sued for his freedom. With the help of antislavery lawyers, Scott finally presented himself in the Supreme Court as a freeman. He argued that because he lived on frees soil, he was therefore free. After long and bitter debates, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney had made his decision. Dred Scott was not a freeman. Taney argued that because Dred was African American, he should not even be allowed to sue in court because they were not citizens. Also Taney stated that slaves were property and just because he lived on free land did not make him a freeman. According to Taney, property rights were protected in the Constitution, classifying Dred Dcott as property. Just as everyone had thought the case had been dismissed, Roger continued to speak. He declared that the Constitution gave Congress no power to stop slavery, and as a result, the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional.
The Dred Scott case had quickly become well known. As more and more people became informed of the case, the reactions of the colonists were very opinionated. Colonists who supported slavery were ecstatic. Many southerners were fearing that the North would gain too much control in Congress and eventually destroy their way of life. After hearing the news, southerners were confident that their way of life (slavery) would remain legal for a long time. On the other hand, Northerners, or antislavery colonists, were furious. With the Missouri Compromise, many northerners had hoped that at least the spread of slavery would be stopped, but as a result of the Dred Scott Decision, their hopes had faded. In conclusion, even though another African American's rights had been stripped away from them, the fight for the abolition of slavery was not over.