DREDD SCOTT

A detailed Summary of DREDD SCOTT

America in 1857 was a nation on the brink. Relationship between the North and

South had been strained for decades and was only getting worse. All tension had to do

with the issues of slavery. In 1848 the U.S. had acquired new lands in the Mexican

cession, and the debate was on. The question was whether or not the South should be

allowed to spread slavery into the new states. This debate turned violent many times. The

South threatened to secede from the Union if a candidate from the Republican party, who

was antislavery, won. Amidst all of the tension would emerge a slave named Dredd Scott.

Dredd Scott was a slave to Dr. John Emerson in St.Louis, Missouri a slave state.

Scott spent most of his time in Illinois, a free state, because his owner Dr. Emerson was an

Army doctor and he stayed in Fort Armstrong in Illinois. Living in a free state had

constituted freedom for previous slaves so Scott felt that he too deserved his freedom and

he brought his first case to court on April 6, 1846, at this time he had moved back to

Missouri and was the property of Dr. Emerson's wife. Scott filed a declaration on April 6,

1846,which stated that Mrs. Emerson had "beat, bruised and ill treated him" before

Although Dredd Scott did not see the direct effect of his actions he alone changed

Blair, a fellow Missourian. Blair was a highly respected lawyer in Washington, and was an

however. First Scott had a new owner who was John F.A. Sanford, the brother of Mrs.

right to bring this case to court. Taney stated that, one of the privileges reserved for

neccesary evil. The court ruled against Scott in 1852 and once again his attempt at

Scott even though he did not win any of his cases or his freedom but he did win the hearts

unconstitutional. Taney also ruled that Scott's argument that he lived in a free state was

Missouri Compromise. When these issues were heard in court the court elected Chief

oning him for twelve hours. He declared that he was to be free on the basis that he

day. Four years after the decision in the Scott vs. Sanford case was read by Taney, half of

Approximate Word count = 1137
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History

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