Conflict and Compromise; The Dred Scott Decision
Isabella and Jane
The Civil War did not just spring up overnight. Many events played a role in this nationwide conflict over slavery, the Dred Scott Decision being one example of the many conflicts and compromises that led to the Civil War. Conflict resulted from the disagreement of both sides of slavery; those for slavery and against. Compromise in legislation, like the Missouri Compromise and the Kansas-Nebraska Act, occurred as well. The lack of compromise in the Dred Scott Case contributed to the conflict over slavery in early America.
Before the birth of Dred Scott, the Northwest Ordinance was signed in 1787. It is said to be one of the most important pieces of legislation passed by members of the earlier Continental Congresses, establishing that the Ohio River is the boundary between free and slave territory in the region between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River. After Missouri threatened to throw off the balance between free and slave states, The Missouri Compromise was created. This "Compromise" prevented whites from owning slaves in the northern free states. In the late 1700s, Dred Scott was born into slavery, later being bought in 1830 by army surgeon, Dr. John Emerson, who later took Scott to the free state of Illinois. In the spring of 1836, John Emerson moved to a fort in the Wisconsin Territory, taking Scott along. While there, Scott met and married Harriet Robinson. Based on the extended amount of time that Scott stayed in Illinois, a free state, he believed he had the legal standing to make a claim for freedom. Scott had also stayed in Wisconsin, an free state, for what he believed was long enough to make the same claim for freedom. Perhaps Scott was unaware of his rights at the time, or perhaps he was content with his master, but either way, Dred Scott did not make a claim for his freedom while physically living in the free states. When John Emerson died in 1843, Scott, Harriet, and their children were hired out by Mrs. John Emerson to work for other families in St. Louis. In 1847, possibly because he and his family were not satisfied with their new masters, Dred Scott attempted to gain his freedom. It is important to note that he had since been moved to St. Louis, Missouri, a slave state. Dred Scott first tried to buy his freedom from Mrs. Emerson for $300. This was denied, and based on Missouri State laws, after the death of John Emerson the power of the Emerson estate was transferred to his wife's brother, John F. A. Sanford. This is when the case first went to court.
Going to court was not a cheap endeavor. Thankfully, Dred Scott had made a loyal slave and his former master's son, Henry Taylor Blow, paid for all of Scott's legal fees. This ensured that Scott and his family at least got the chance to fight for freedom. Scott and his fight for freedom passed through many levels of the American legal system, eventually being tried in the Supreme Court. The issue at hand was that Scott had lived in a free state long enough to buy his freedom. However, by the time Scott decided to ask for his freedom, he no longer lived in the free states of Illinois and Wisconsin. Therein lies the conflict; the court had to decide if Scott should be granted freedom because he was once eligible or if the ship had already sailed for Dred Scott, leaving him and his family destined for slavery for the rest of their life.
Once it was all said and done, the Dred Scott Decision caused the overturning of the Missouri Compromise, was a huge topic of discussion during the Lincoln Douglas Debates, and was an overall factor leading to the turmoil in the Civil War. The Missouri Compromise was overturned as part of the verdict in the Dred Scott Decision. After reviewing the Dred Scott case, Chief Justice Roger Taney stated that The Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional because it forbid citizens of the United States from doing what they wanted with their own property. As a result, there were no longer any truly free states. In the Lincoln Douglas Debates, the Dred Scott Decision was a topic of many heated discussions. Lincoln believed that slavery was a practice that would be unable to sustain itself with a country divided. Throughout the country, The Dred Scott case caused attention to be directed towards slavery. It was also proof that with the nation divided on the subject of slavery, a compromise would never be agreed upon, and conflict would be forever on the horizon. The lack of compromise in the Dred Scott Case contributed to the conflict over slavery in early America.
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Before the birth of Dred Scott, the Northwest Ordinance was signed in 1787. It is said to be one of the most important pieces of legislation passed by members of the earlier Continental Congresses, establishing that the Ohio River is the boundary between free and slave territory in the region between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River. After Missouri threatened to throw off the balance between free and slave states, The Missouri Compromise was created. This "Compromise" prevented whites from owning slaves in the northern free states. In the late 1700s, Dred Scott was born into slavery, later being bought in 1830 by army surgeon, Dr. John Emerson, who later took Scott to the free state of Illinois. In the spring of 1836, John Emerson moved to a fort in the Wisconsin Territory, taking Scott along. While there, Scott met and married Harriet Robinson. Based on the extended amount of time that Scott stayed in Illinois, a free state, he believed he had the legal standing to make a claim for freedom. Scott had also stayed in Wisconsin, an free state, for what he believed was long enough to make the same claim for freedom. Perhaps Scott was unaware of his rights at the time, or perhaps he was content with his master, but either way, Dred Scott did not make a claim for his freedom while physically living in the free states. When John Emerson died in 1843, Scott, Harriet, and their children were hired out by Mrs. John Emerson to work for other families in St. Louis. In 1847, possibly because he and his family were not satisfied with their new masters, Dred Scott attempted to gain his freedom. It is important to note that he had since been moved to St. Louis, Missouri, a slave state. Dred Scott first tried to buy his freedom from Mrs. Emerson for $300. This was denied, and based on Missouri State laws, after the death of John Emerson the power of the Emerson estate was transferred to his wife's brother, John F. A. Sanford. This is when the case first went to court.
Going to court was not a cheap endeavor. Thankfully, Dred Scott had made a loyal slave and his former master's son, Henry Taylor Blow, paid for all of Scott's legal fees. This ensured that Scott and his family at least got the chance to fight for freedom. Scott and his fight for freedom passed through many levels of the American legal system, eventually being tried in the Supreme Court. The issue at hand was that Scott had lived in a free state long enough to buy his freedom. However, by the time Scott decided to ask for his freedom, he no longer lived in the free states of Illinois and Wisconsin. Therein lies the conflict; the court had to decide if Scott should be granted freedom because he was once eligible or if the ship had already sailed for Dred Scott, leaving him and his family destined for slavery for the rest of their life.
Once it was all said and done, the Dred Scott Decision caused the overturning of the Missouri Compromise, was a huge topic of discussion during the Lincoln Douglas Debates, and was an overall factor leading to the turmoil in the Civil War. The Missouri Compromise was overturned as part of the verdict in the Dred Scott Decision. After reviewing the Dred Scott case, Chief Justice Roger Taney stated that The Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional because it forbid citizens of the United States from doing what they wanted with their own property. As a result, there were no longer any truly free states. In the Lincoln Douglas Debates, the Dred Scott Decision was a topic of many heated discussions. Lincoln believed that slavery was a practice that would be unable to sustain itself with a country divided. Throughout the country, The Dred Scott case caused attention to be directed towards slavery. It was also proof that with the nation divided on the subject of slavery, a compromise would never be agreed upon, and conflict would be forever on the horizon. The lack of compromise in the Dred Scott Case contributed to the conflict over slavery in early America.
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