That Scott had no right to argue in court
The US Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in defendant John Sanford's favor, returning Dred Scott and his family to slavery. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney delivered the Opinion of the Court.PartiesDred ScottJohn Sanford (alleged "owner" of Dred Scott; misspelled as Sandford in court records)Other Important IndividualsEliza Irene Sanford (Chaffee) (widow of Dr. Emerson and probable real "owner" of Dred ScottDr. Calvin Chaffee (Irene Sanford's second husband; abolitionist and member of Congress, arranged "ownership" of Scott transferred to Taylor Blow for manumission)Taylor Blow (Son of Dred Scott's original "owner," who provided financial support for Scott's legal case(s) and freed Scott after the case)AttorneysMontgomery Blair, Alexander Field and David Hall (for Dred Scott)Reverdy Johnson, Henry S. Geyer, and Hugh Garland (for John Sanford)Supreme Court MajorityRoger B. Taney, Chief JusticeJames WayneJohn CatronPeter V. DanielSamuel NelsonRobert GrierJohn CampbellSupreme Court DissentingJohn McLeanBenjamin R. CurtisDred Scott was a slave of a U.S. Army surgeon, John Emerson of Missouri, a state that permitted slavery. In 1834, Scott went with Emerson to live in Illinois, which prohibited slavery. They later lived in the Wisconsin Territory, which slavery was forbidden by the Missouri Compromise. In 1838, Scott returned to Missouri with Emerson. Emerson died there in 1843, and three years later Scott sued the surgeon's wife for his freedom.Scott based his lawsuit on the argument that his former residence in a free state and a free territory-Illinois and Wisconsin-made him a free man. A circuit court ruled in Scott's favor, but the Missouri Supreme Court later reversed the decision. Meanwhile, Scott had become legally regarded as the property of John F.A. Sanford (spelled Sandford in the U.S. Supreme Court records) of New York. At the conclusion of the Supreme Court case, the Blow family, who originally sold Scott to Dr. Emerson, purchased him from Emerson's widow and had him legally emancipated (manumission).Case Citation:Dred Scott v. Sanford, 60 US 393 (1857)For more information, see Related Questions, below.
Taney led the U.S. Supreme Court as Chief Justice in the Dred Scott decision.
Scott had a number of lawyers, the best known of which was Montgomery Blair, who served as Postmaster General under Lincoln during the Civil war. As a side note, Blair was the great-grandfather of actor Montgomery Clift.
Dred Scott v. Sanford, 60 US 393 (1857)AnswerDred Scott sued for his freedom.The US Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in defendant John Sanford's favor, returning Dred Scott and his family to slavery. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney delivered the Opinion of the Court that held slaves, former slaves and descendants of slaves could never be US citizens.AnswerThat was Dred Scott. He should have claimed his freedom while he was on free soil, but he was brought back into slave country, and tried to claim his freedom when his status was subject to debate. This caused immense trouble - and arguably started the Civil War.For more information, see Related Questions, below.
Dred Scott v. Sanford
Which statement best describes the Dred Scott v. Sanford Supreme Court decision?
People of all states could decide if they wanted slavery withing their borders. A+Ls: The supreme court declared scott was a free man
Dred Scott v. Sanford
Dred Scott v. Sanford
The Supreme Court declared Scott was a free man
the decision made slavery legal in all us territories that were not yet states
He was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in the Dred Scott v. Sanford decision.
The decision made slavery legal in all U.S. territories that were not yet states.
The decision on Dred Scott vs. Sanford was made by the US Supreme Court on March 6, 1857. For all practical purposes, the Court ruled that slavery was legal and that slaves were property.
The Supreme Court decision in Dred Scott v. Sanford outraged Northerners because it ruled that African Americans could not be U.S. citizens and that Congress could not ban slavery in the territories. This decision was seen as a blow to the abolitionist movement and reinforced the perception that the federal government was siding with pro-slavery interests.
The Supreme Court decision in Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857) ruled that African Americans were not citizens and therefore could not sue in federal court. Additionally, the Court declared that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional, as it violated the Fifth Amendment rights of slave owners by depriving them of their property.
The Supreme Court decision in Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857) ruled that African Americans, whether free or enslaved, were not considered U.S. citizens and therefore could not sue in federal court. The decision also declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, stating that Congress had no authority to prohibit slavery in the territories. This decision fueled tensions leading up to the Civil War.