Dred Scott decision Flashcards
Dred Scott and his family
Enslaved in the south
The ‘decision’ was
An attempt by Scott to sue for his and his family’s freedom in 1857
Scott’s argument was
He had lived in a northern state for a significant period of time whilst still being enslaved
Used the law that slaveholders lost the right to their slaves if they stayed in non-slave states for extended periods of time
Appealed for his freedom because he was in a non-slave state
Roger Taney
Helped write the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution
Had freed his slaves
Taney claimed
The Constitution did not apply to African Americans
Free blacks were not citizens, meaning they could not sue in federal court
Slaves constituted as property under the constitution
Scott was
Unsuccessful
The outcome meant slavery
Could go anywhere in the US
Congress did not have the power to limit slavery
Slavery was no longer a regional institution
Overall, meant northerners became convinced slavery
Was being imposed on the entire country
Regardless of the Missouri Compromise Line
