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Dred Scott Case Analysis

Decent Essays

Since 1776, independent nation of the United States encountered countless of political, economical, as well as territorial obstacles. The Civil War in 1861 ranked highest among the numerous historical turns in America. Although, many debates and disputes foreshadowed this tragedy of internal split, the issue of slavery proved to be one of the major cause of the war. Despite the fact that the Kansas-Nebraska Act has already passed, the case of Dred Scott drifted the nation even further toward disunion. On March 6, 1857, this simple case turned into a complex political issue, arguing the rights of the black slaves. At the same time, Dred Scott case resulted in an unexpected decision over the territorial slavery issue in the United States.
First of all, Dred Scott case was a simple trial arguing for individual rights. A black slave named Dred Scott, who served his master for five years in Illinois and Wisconsin Territory, sued for freedom on the basis of long-term residence. However, the Supreme Court made this case a complex political issue. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney from Maryland argued that since Scott is a slave and not a citizen,they do not have the right to sue according to the Fifth Amendment (The American Pageant, Pg.417). The Fifth …show more content…

Because Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed three years earlier in 1854 and repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, this statement could be true. However, the spirit of the compromise had survived in the North and they argued no slavery above 36°30’ line. Now, the Court ruled that the Missouri Compromise of 1820 were unconstitutional anyway. Therefore, Congress had no power to ban slavery anywhere from the territories (The American Pageant, Pg.418). This decision supported the idea of popular sovereignty and highly recommended the principles of

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