Understand the Supreme Court’s decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford
In the case of Dred Scott v. Sandford, the Supreme Court delivered a landmark decision in 1857. The case involved Dred Scott, an enslaved African American man who had lived in a free state and a free territory before returning to a slave state. Scott, along with his wife and children, sued for their freedom on the basis of their residence in free territory.
However, the Supreme Court ruled against Scott and his family, in a decision written by Chief Justice Roger B. Taney. The Court held that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, were not considered citizens under the United States Constitution. Taney argued that at the time of the Constitution's ratification, African Americans were viewed as "beings of an inferior order, and altogether unfit to associate with the white race, either in social or political relations."
Furthermore, the Court declared that the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which prohibited slavery above a certain latitude, was unconstitutional. The Court reasoned that Congress could not deprive individuals of their property rights, including the right to own slaves, thus effectively declaring that slavery could not be outlawed anywhere in the United States.
The decision in the Dred Scott case had significant implications. It further divided the nation along sectional lines, exacerbating tensions between the North and South. The ruling also nullified efforts to limit the expansion of slavery and heightened the already intense debate over the institution of slavery. Ultimately, the decision played a role in the events leading up to the American Civil War.