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Dred Scott Case Analysis

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Dred Scott was an individual who was denied his freedom, treated poorly by the courts, a case in which split the U.S in two. Born into slavery in virginia, Dred was purchased in a Missouri slave market by Army Doctor John Emerson. He was later brought to fort shelling in 1836 by way of Fort Armstrong in Illinois
Dred Scott wanted court to set him free, because his owner wanted to take Dred to live in illinois, and wisconsin territory where slavery was legal. Chief Justice Roger Tony saw this case as a way to end the question of slavery. This Dred Scott Decision had the power to legalize slavery all over the U.S. It was ruled that congress had no authority to prevent the spread of slavery to territories, and it was argued that free blacks like Dred had NO RIGHTS to be respected by a white person, and that they can be reduced back into slavery for “white man's benefit”. Dred Married a free slave named Harriet they moved in together into Fort Shelling until 1840 when they sued for freedom 6 years later under the northwest ordinance. The government saw this ordinance as unconstitutional and gave no rights to people of color, nor free slaves. This increased slavery everywhere. This casted Dred into a deep depression. This decision hung over the abolitionist …show more content…
Dred and Harriet (Dred Scott’s wife) didn’t accept their circumstances, they not only wanted change for themselves but for everyone/the future generations. Dred and Harriet eventually got their freedom. Dred was also able to die as a free man.
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Dred Scott was a slave who looked for his freedom through the American legal system. The 1857 decision by the United States Supreme Court in the Dred Scott case denied his plea, determining that no Negro, the term then used to describe anyone with African blood, was or could ever be a

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