By Brad Wahlgren

Born 1795 Born into slavery in Virginia Owned by Peter Blow Sold to John Emerson 1830 John Emerson was a military doctor who

transferred frequently 1836 Married Harriet Robinson

Emerson was a military doctor and transferred frequently

Spent long amounts of time in Wisconsin and Illinois

John Emerson died, and widow possessed sole ownership of Scott’s

Scott attempted to buy freedom, but Mrs. Emerson didn’t accept offer

Scott went to court to sue for freedom

Scott sued for freedom based on the fact he’d had extended residence in Wisconsin (a free state) when Emerson had been posted at a fort there.

Originally Scott sued in a St. Louis Court in 1850, and was granted freedom, because they were held as slaves illegally in Wisconsin

In 1852 the Missouri Supreme Court counted the St. Louis’ courts ruling not official, and rules the Scotts slaves once more

Scott brought case to Supreme Court of U.S. Court ruled that African-Americans were not

U.S. citizens regardless of if they were free or not

They also ruled that according to the Ordinance of 1787 they couldn’t grant freedom to African-Americans regardless of whether they had stayed in free territories or not.

Therefore Scott was ruled a slave, but was eventually freed by future owner Henry Blow

Ended the prohibition of slavery in U.S. territories

Enraged Northerners and abolitionists to fight for the cause

Increased tensions between the North and the South

Case inspired the 13th 14th and 15th amendments as well as the Emancipation Proclamation

The Scott case was a highly controversial that made citizens question the Congress’ power as well as the constitution (it caused three amendments). It also increased the tensions between the two sides of the country while inspiring Northerners to put more pressure on slavery in the South. Without the Dred Scott case the tensions between the two sides of the country wouldn’t of elevated as quickly, and blacks and Northerners wouldn’t have been as inspired to fight, so Dred Scott really accelerated tensions between the two sides of the country.

Dred Scott

"Dred Scott." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2011. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2932.html>.

"Dred Scott - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dred

Picture from first website