Dred+Scott+decisionMEM

=**Dred Scott Decision**=

Dred Scott was a African-American slave. Who's master took him to the free states where they both lived until his master was called back by the army. When his master died Scott had to fight for his freedom.He believed that since he has lived on free soil he should be free and not sold back in to slavery. Scott lost his case. The Supreme Court Justices declared that no slave or descendant of a slave could ever be a U.S. citizen. And since Scott wasn't a citizen he had no rights and wasn't able to sue in the Federal Court and must remain a slave. At this time there was 4 million slaves in america and this affected all of them. The supreme court also ruled that congress couldn't stop slavery in the newly emerging territories and declared the Missouri Compromise of 1820 to be unconstitutional. Northerners cited the controversial decision as evidence that the south wanted to extend slavery and rule the nation. Lincoln reacted with disgust and took political action to speak out against it. The Dred Scott decision had the effect of widening the political and social gap between the North and South and brought the nation closer to the brink of war.