Dred Scott Decision

Definition

The Dred Scott decision was a landmark 1857 Supreme Court case that had significant implications for the expansion of slavery and the political landscape leading up to the Civil War. The decision denied citizenship to African Americans, both free and enslaved, and ruled that Congress did not have the authority to prohibit slavery in federal territories.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Dred Scott decision overturned the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had prohibited slavery in certain federal territories.
2. The case was brought by Dred Scott, an enslaved man who had lived with his enslaver in free states and territories, arguing that he should be considered a free man.
3. The Supreme Court's ruling, written by Chief Justice Roger Taney, declared that African Americans were not citizens and therefore had no standing to sue in federal court.
4. The decision was seen as a victory for the pro-slavery Southern states, as it effectively allowed the expansion of slavery into new territories.
5. The Dred Scott decision was a significant factor in the growing tensions between the North and South, ultimately contributing to the outbreak of the Civil War.

Review Questions

• Explain how the Dred Scott decision was connected to the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the rise of the Republican Party.
  • The Dred Scott decision was closely linked to the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which had established the principle of popular sovereignty, allowing settlers in new territories to decide the slavery question for themselves. The Supreme Court's ruling in Dred Scott effectively overturned this, declaring that Congress did not have the authority to prohibit slavery in federal territories. This sparked outrage in the North, fueling the growth of the Republican Party, which opposed the expansion of slavery and the Dred Scott decision.
• Describe how the Dred Scott decision contributed to the sectional strife leading up to the Civil War.
  • The Dred Scott decision exacerbated the growing tensions between the North and South over the issue of slavery. By denying citizenship to African Americans and ruling that Congress could not prohibit slavery in the territories, the decision was seen as a major victory for the pro-slavery South. This heightened the sense of sectionalism, as Northerners viewed the decision as a threat to their values and a further encroachment of slavery. The decision galvanized opposition to the expansion of slavery, fueling the rise of the Republican Party and contributing to the growing divide that ultimately led to the outbreak of the Civil War.
• Analyze the impact of the Dred Scott decision on the events leading up to the Election of 1860 and the start of the Civil War.
  • The Dred Scott decision was a pivotal moment that significantly shaped the political landscape in the years leading up to the Election of 1860 and the start of the Civil War. By denying citizenship to African Americans and ruling that Congress could not prohibit slavery in the territories, the decision was seen as a major victory for the pro-slavery South. This further inflamed tensions between the North and South, with Northerners increasingly opposed to the expansion of slavery. The decision galvanized the Republican Party, which campaigned on a platform of opposing the expansion of slavery and the Dred Scott ruling. The election of Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president, was viewed by the South as a threat to their way of life, leading to the secession of several Southern states and the outbreak of the Civil War.

Related terms

Slavery: The institution of forced labor in which people are treated as property to be bought, sold, and compelled to work.

Sectionalism: The heightened feelings of loyalty and allegiance to one's own region or section of the country, often leading to tensions and conflicts with other regions.

Popular Sovereignty: The principle that the residents of a territory should have the right to decide whether to allow slavery within that territory.