The Background:
Dred Scott was born into slavery in Virginia in 1795. In 1834, he was taken by his master to the free state of Illinois and then to the free territory of Wisconsin. During this time, he lived as a free man and married a free woman. In 1850, Scott was taken back to Missouri, a slave state. He and his wife sued for their freedom, arguing that they had become free by living in free territory.
The Supreme Court's Ruling:
The Supreme Court ruled against Scott in 1857. The Court held that an enslaved person was not a citizen of the United States and 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 Reaction:
The Supreme Court's decision in the Dred Scott case was highly controversial. The decision outraged many northerners, who saw it as a betrayal of the principles of freedom and equality. The decision also fueled the growing conflict between the North and the South over the issue of slavery.
The Civil War:
The tensions between the North and the South over the issue of slavery eventually erupted into the Civil War in 1861. The Civil War was fought over many issues, but slavery was the main cause. The Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 freed all enslaved people in the United States. The war ended in 1865 with the victory of the North. The abolition of slavery was one of the most significant outcomes of the Civil War.