Dred Scott was an enslaved African American man who sued for his freedom in a landmark legal case that reached the Supreme Court of the United States. Scott was born into slavery in Virginia around 1795. In 1834, he was purchased by an army surgeon, Dr. John Emerson. Emerson took Scott to several different states and territories, including Illinois and Wisconsin, where slavery was illegal. Scott believed that living in these free states made him a free man.
In 1846, Scott sued for his freedom in federal court. The case made its way to the Supreme Court, where it was decided in 1857. The Court ruled against Scott, finding that he was not a citizen of the United States and therefore could not sue in federal court. The Court also ruled that the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had prohibited slavery in the northern territories, was unconstitutional.
The Dred Scott decision was a major victory for the pro-slavery forces in the United States. It emboldened slaveholders and made it more difficult for enslaved people to gain their freedom. The decision also contributed to the growing tensions between the North and South, which eventually led to the Civil War.
Why was Dred Scott important to the Civil War?
The Dred Scott decision was a major factor in the growing tensions between the North and South that eventually led to the Civil War. The decision outraged many Northerners, who saw it as a violation of their constitutional rights. It also strengthened the resolve of Southerners to protect their way of life, including the institution of slavery.
The Dred Scott decision was a major turning point in the history of the United States. It helped to polarize the country and bring it closer to civil war. The war would eventually end slavery in the United States, but it would also claim the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.