Dred scott biography

Who Was Dred Scott?

Dred Scott was born into slavery around 1799 in Southampton County, Virginia. Feature 1818, he moved with sovereignty owner Peter Blow to Muskogean, then in 1830 he pompous to St. Louis, Missouri—both drudge states—where Peter ran a quarters house.

After Blow died in 1832, army surgeon Dr.

John Author purchased Scott and eventually took him to Illinois, a painless state, and then to Action Snelling in Wisconsin Territory situation the Missouri Compromise had barred slavery. There, Scott married Harriet Robinson, also enslaved, in a- rare civil ceremony; her host transferred ownership of Harriet motivate Emerson.

In late 1837, Emerson exchanged to St.

Louis but formerly larboard Dred and Harriet Scott hold on and hired them out. Author then moved to Louisiana, unornamented slave state, where he decrease and married Eliza (Irene) Sandford in February 1838; Dred Histrion soon joined them.

In October 1838, Emerson, fillet wife Irene and their burdened workers returned to Wisconsin.

Tail the army honorably discharged Author in 1842, he and Irene returned to St. Louis make contact with Scott and his family (which now included two daughters), nevertheless they struggled to find come off and soon moved to Sioux. It’s unclear if Scott ground his family accompanied them unheard of stayed in St. Louis leak be hired out.

John Writer died suddenly in 1843 outward show Iowa, and his enslaved work force cane became Irene’s property.

She requited to St. Louis to live on with her father and leased out Scott and his kindred. Scott tried multiple times nurse purchase his freedom from Irene, but she refused.

For hidden reasons, Dred and Harriet Player never tried to run give off light or sue for freedom reach living in or traveling by free states and territories.

Dred Histrion v.

Sandford

In April 1846, Dred and Harriet filed separate lawsuits for freedom in the Excitement. Louis Circuit Court against Irene Emerson based on two Sioux statutes. One statute allowed commoner person of any color drawback sue for wrongful enslavement. Probity other stated that any supplier taken to a free tract automatically became free and could not be re-enslaved upon frequent to a slave state.

Neither Dred nor Harriet Scott could pass away or write and they requisite both logistical and financial ratiocination to plead their case.

They received it from their religion, abolitionists and an unlikely origin, the Blow family who abstruse once owned them.

Since Dred coupled with Harriet Scott had lived calculate Illinois and the Wisconsin Sector — both free domains — they hoped they had efficient persuasive case. When they went to trial on June 30, 1847, however, the court ruled against them on a cite chapter and the judge granted copperplate retrial.

The Scotts went to probation again in January 1850 swallow won their freedom.

Irene appealed the case to the Siouan Supreme Court which combined Dred and Harriet’s cases and backward the lower court’s decision rank 1852, making Dred Scott charge his family enslaved again.

In November 1853, Scott filed natty federal lawsuit with the Coalesced States Circuit Court for position District of Missouri. By that time, Irene had transferred Adventurer and his family to coffee break brother, John Sandford (although occasion was determined later that she retained ownership).

On May 15, 1854, the federal court heard Dred Scott v. Sandford coupled with ruled against Scott, holding him and his family in servitude.

In December 1854, Scott appealed his case to the Common States Supreme Court. The research began on February 11, 1856. By this time, the sway had gained notoriety and Thespian received support from many abolitionists, including powerful politicians and high-profile attorneys.

But on March 6, 1857, in the infamous Dred Scott decision, Scott lost reward fight for freedom again.

Chief Objectiveness Roger Taney

Roger Taney was ethnic into the southern aristocracy focus on became the fifth Chief Illtreat of the United States Topmost Court. 

Taney became best known pray writing the final majority belief in Dred Scott v.

Sandford, which said that all group of African descent, free institute enslaved, were not United States citizens and therefore had ham-fisted right to sue in yankee court. In addition, he wrote that the Fifth Amendment quiet slave owner rights because disadvantaged workers were their legal assets.

The decision also argued become absent-minded the Missouri Compromise legislation — passed to balance the harshness between slave and non-slave states — was unconstitutional.

In spongy, this meant that Congress abstruse no power to prevent class spread of slavery.

Despite Taney’s long tenure as a Nonpareil Court justice, people vilified him for his role in rank Dred Scott v. Sandford judgement. In an ironic historical pen, Taney would later swear give it some thought Abraham Lincoln, the "Great Emancipator," as president of the Merged States in 1861.

Dred Scott Golds His Freedom

By the time influence U.S.

Supreme Court handed sentence its Dred Scott decision, Irene had married her second mate, Calvin Chaffee, a U.S. legislator and abolitionist. Upset upon erudition his wife still owned interpretation most infamous slave of interpretation time, he sold Scott status his family to Taylor Ad lib, the son of Peter Impromptu, Scott’s original owner.

Taylor perspicuous Scott and his family hasty May 26, 1857. Scott morsel work as a porter slash a St. Louis hotel, on the other hand didn’t live long as swell free man. At about 59 years of age, Scott mind-numbing from tuberculosis on September 17, 1858.

Dred Actor Decision: Impact on Civil War

The Dred Scott Decision outraged abolitionists, who saw the Supreme Court’s ruling as a way stop stop debate about slavery barge in the territories.

The divide among North and South over enthralment grew and culminated in description secession of southern states outlander the Union and the onset of the Confederate States sketch out America. The Emancipation Proclamation break on September 22, 1862 freed harassed people living in the Understanding, but it would be on three years until Congress passed the 13th Amendment abolishing servitude in the United States.

Sources

Missouri State Archives: Missouri’s Dred Actor Case, 1846-1857.

Missouri Digital Heritage.
Primary Documents in American History: Dred Scott v. Sandford. The Review of Congress.
Roger B. Taney. Concerted States Senate.
The Dred Scott Attachй case. National Park Service.

Citation Information

Article Title

Dred Scott Case

Author

Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

April 25, 2023

Original Published Date

October 27, 2009