Preview

Dred Scott Case Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
836 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Dred Scott Case Analysis
In the United States during the late 1950s, two events occurred in which stirred conflict in the union. The North and the South had differing views on the idea of slavery. The North wanted slavery to end while the South did not. The Dred Scott Decision and John Brown’s Raid were two significant occasions where there were disputes between the North and the South. The Dred Scott case concluded in 1857 and the raid on Harpers Ferry occurred in 1859. These two incidents insinuated that a Civil War was going to happen in the next couple of years. The Dred Scott case involved a slave who was held by the slave-owner, John Emerson, in Illinois, where slavery was prohibited. This case became widely known throughout the country during this time period due to the conflict of debating slavery. Dred Scott lived in a region of the United States with his master where slavery was illegal because of the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Missouri came in as a slave state but was restricted slavery above the 36°30' line. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 came into play which stated that a state would be determined as free or slave by popular sovereignty. However, it partially invalidated the Missouri Compromise. (Bell. “Civil War on the Western Border”). …show more content…
The North, or those who were anti slavery, believed that this was a heroic action and viewed him as a moral figure. However, others in the South, or people who were pro slavery, questioned his sanity and thought Brown was bloodthirsty and deserved his punishment. (Boyer. “On the Brink of War.”).
The Dred Scott Decision and John Brown’s Raid are both important events that contributed to the disunion of the United States. These two events The issue of slavery spread around the country which made people take sides on whether to support it, or to go against it. Generally, the South chose to push for the expansion of slavery while the North were strongly against

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the case of Dred Scott, he told the court that Sanford and himself were citizens of two different states. However, the court makes it quite clear that Dred Scott is not a citizen of Missouri; and because he is not a citizen he does not have the right to sue in a federal court. Throughout the case the court gives several reasons why Dred Scott is not considered a citizen of Missouri. They use excerpts from the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence to prove that because Dred Scott is of the African race he can never become a citizen, free or not. After the court officially decided that Dred Scott is not a citizen and does not have the right to sue; because of this, the court does not have the jurisdiction to make a decision on…

    • 141 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Facts: This lawsuit involves Dred Scott, an African American slave and his owner due to the passing of his previous owner Dr. Emerson, John F. A. Sanford. John F.A Sanford is the brother to the wife of Dr. Emerson. Dred Scott sued for his freedom in the Missouri Circuit Court for the City of St. Louis on April 6, 1846 . Dred Scott’s legal suit is for assault and false imprisonment: “A slave could be punished and kept as property, but a free person could not.”…

    • 1622 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    When the Dred Scott case came before the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney was one of the five justices from states where slavery was legal. These five justices were the majority on the court, and believed that although the Missouri Compromise existed, a slave owner had the right to take his slaves anywhere he wished without fear that someone would remove his property from him. It was their feeling that regardless of the fact that Dred had lived in so called “free states,” he was still his owner’s property.…

    • 213 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Dred Scott was born a slave approximately around 1795 in Virgina and was owned by the Blow family. The Blow’s are a family of farmers that moved to Missouri from Virginia. This is where Scott was sold to a Dr. John Emerson which was the United States Army Surgeon. Shortly after being sold to the Emerson family, is when all these lawsuit conflicts arose. However, Dred Scott was able to marry Harriet Robinson and have his first daughter with her, Eliza Scott, in 1838 in a free territory. Once Dr. Emerson passed away, the Scott family was under Eliza Emerson’s—wife of John Emerson— ownership. The case that was later entitled Scott V. Sanford first went to trial in 1847. The Dred Scott Case was one of the most important events that happened in history…

    • 1126 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Facts: Hollis D. King was arrested after a search of his apartment. Local police department officers had probable cause to force entering and searching King apartment. Incident to search and arrest stemmed from a strong odor of what appeared to be burning illegal narcotics. Prior to entering the apartment, Police Officers knocked on the door and announced their presence. The occupants in the apartments did not respond. Under the suspicion of valuable evidence being destroyed the officers forced entering into the apartment. As the officers entered the apartment the odor of the burning substance became stronger. The smell of the burning substance created the exigent circumstance in the probable cause and the case at trial. Without a warrant,…

    • 703 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    B. Civil Rights Act of 1968 ("Fair Housing Law") - Prohibited discrimination in the sale or rental of a dwelling to any person on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin…

    • 600 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Some disagreed with his actions but supported his abolitionist views. But to some people he was a God like figure. One of those people being Henry David Thoreau, “Some eighteen hundred years ago Christ was crucified; this morning Captain Brown was hung. These are the two ends of a chain which is not without its links. He is not Old Brown any longer; he is an angel of light.” He was comparing this man’s actions to Christ dying on the cross for our sins. This is a huge comparison to make to someone that just committed murder of several people. But the picture he was trying paint to his readers was that Brown was going to have a greater effect in death than he would have had, had his life been…

    • 775 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    John brown has been looked upon by many as a hero, but was he really a hero? Let’s look at the thing’s he’s done for abolition and think to ourselves as we read, “is this really what a ‘hero’ would do?” I’ll go into more detail later through out this of course, but for now, let’s review the gist of what he has “done for abolition.” From the third document, it states that he led only 21 men into the military arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. That was basically suicide for them. Yes, it was very brave of him, but he should have realized 21 men wouldn’t be enough for how many men that military had. He planned to give the weapons from the arsenal to slaves and start a chain reaction of revolts throughout the Southeast. All I have to ask is really? Did he really think that it would be that easy to take from the arsenal? Not only that, but in document two it also states that in 1856, Brown and six of his followers got revenge for the violence in Lawrence by killing five settlers in the pro-slavery camps along the Pottawatomie Creek. He also fled to Kansas, like a coward, to escape prosecution. This should be enough information for you, but let’s go into further detail.…

    • 919 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    He did so much to help out the slaves in the United States, even thought he was so violent while he was fighting (Williams 81). On December 2, 1859, John Brown was killed by being hung because he was convicted of murder and treason. Abolitionists didn’t deny any part of John Browns history. They thought he was a very courageous…

    • 1146 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In 1857, Dred Scott lost his case proving that he should be free because he had been held as a slave while living in a free state. The Court ruled that his petition couldn’t be seen because he did not own property. But it went further, to state that even though he had been taken by his 'owner' into a free state, he was still a slave because slaves were to be considered property of their owners. This decision furthered the cause of abolitionists as they increased their efforts to fight against slavery.…

    • 537 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    After Brown’s raid on Harper's Ferry he was perceived by the South as a villain and the North as martyr. Even more controversy arose between the two sides of the country because of Brown’s radicalistic approach to end slavery. Many have claimed that although he failed to attack Harper’s Ferry, he had a spark in him and had righteous cause. In the South, Brown was viewed as a dangerous criminal, and his actions increased the fear of a slave uprising.…

    • 699 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Some people believe that John Brown was a martyr. People in the North especially believed he was a martyr because he was doing what they lacked the courage to do. When comparing John Brown to a martyr or terrorist, he fits the definition of a terrorist by using violence against innocent people for political and religious differences. The southerners had different beliefs, so in Brown’s eye, they deserved to be murdered. He used extreme tactics and never used his passion and influences for good.…

    • 399 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Dred Scott argued that he had been freed as a result of living with his master in the free state of Illinois and in federal territory. The Missouri Compromise forbade slavery there. In the slave states, slaves were considered valuable property; Mrs. Emerson did not want to lose the Scotts. Her main argument was that they were depriving her…

    • 844 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Sectionalism

    • 2402 Words
    • 10 Pages

    During the 1850's, slavery, a southern necessity both socially and economically, threatened the unity of our nation. The tension's were high between the North and South, and further increased as more and more factors contributed to the strain in the Union. As an outcome of these factors, small and big, sectional hatred began to arise and commenced the splitting of the nation; ultimately leading to the American Civil War.…

    • 2402 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    There have always been events in American history that increased tensions between free states and slave states. In the following essay I will go over three events that has caused problems between one other. The Compromise of 1850, Uncle Toms Cabin, and John Brown’s Raid at Harper’s Ferry I have chosen these events because these are the events that stand out to me when tensions between free states and slave states come to mind.…

    • 406 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays