Dred Scott --- Before the Case

• Scott's 'Master' died after moving back to Missouri

• Scott sued for his freedom saying.......

• "My time in a free state makes me free."

Dred Scott -- Questions for the Court (pt. #1)

• Could slaves be citizens to bring cases to court?

  • The court said, "No. African Americans were not in fact citizens."

​4. "A free negro of the African race, whose ancestors were brought to this country and sold as slaves, is not a "citizen" within the meaning of the Constitution of the United States."

5. "When the Constitution was adopted, they were not regarded in any of the States as members of the community which constituted the State, and were not numbered among its "people or citizens." Consequently, the special rights and immunities guarantied to citizens do not apply to them."

Dred Scott -- Questions for the Court (pt. #1)

• Did living in a free territory/state make slaves free?

  • The court said, "Living in a free Territory did not make someone free."

Dred Scott -- Questions for the Court (pt. #2)

• Did Congress have the power to make any laws at all concerning slavery in the territories?

  • The court said, "Congress does not have the power to stop slavery."

​"The clause in the Constitution authorizing Congress to make all needful rules and regulations for the government of the territory and other property of the United States applies only to territory within the chartered limits of some one of the States when they were colonies of Great Britain, and which was surrendered by the British Government to the old Confederation of the States in the treaty of peace. It does not apply to territory acquired by the present Federal Government by treaty or conquest from a foreign nation."

Dred Scott -- Questions for the Court (pt. #2)

• If so, was the Missouri Compromise Constitutional?

  • "Missouri Compromise is unconstitutional!!"

  
  
  Why would the Supreme Court say that the Missouri was unconstitutional?

Dred Scott -- Consequences

• Popular sovereignty was not Constitutional

• Why would this statement be true?

Dred Scott -- Consequences

• Declaration and Bill of Rights were not for African Americans

• Disagreements between north and south became more intense

• No more compromises
  Why could there be no more compromises after the Dred Scott decision?