Dred Scott V. Sandford Essay

Dred Scott was a slave. He was born a slave in the state of Virginia. Around the same time the Louisiana purchase was going on. He was born sometime in 1795 since he was a slave they did not keep the best records. Historians say that his birth name was Sam and his brother's name was Dred but when his brother died he took his name. Sometime after that his slave owner moved him to Huntsville Alabama then later Saint Louis Missouri. In the early 1830s his slave owner died and he was sold to a U.S. army officer John Emerson. In 1836 he fell in love with a woman named Harriet Robinson. When they got married Mr. Emerson got to own Harriet also. Years later they traveled to the free states Illinois and Wisconsin.

Emerson died later

Sandford. The case started in 1846 and didn't last long because the government didn't want America to be stuck on this case and wanted to move on. So he was denied even though he was denied his freedom it still caused outrage in the country. He then decided to Appeal the case and won. Even though the decision was later overturned it was still a major breakthrough. Lastly in 1854 he sued one last time and when he lost that one he went to the U.S. Supreme Court. This was a super big deal because back then African Americans weren't even considered human beings so to see one go to the Supreme Court was

But after 11 years 7 of the 9 judges declared that "Slaves Were Not Citizens Of The United States And Therefore Had No Right To Sue In Federal Court" (Chief Justice Roger Taney). Dred Scott's case sparked the civil war. Which was a war between the north and the south for slavery and freedom. The south wanted slavery and tried to break away from America. But the north/USA didn't like that and tried to fight that. The North won and the 13 and 14 amendments were signed. It's hard to say that Dred Scott didn't spark the civil war but he sadly died on 9-17-1858 from