DRED SCOTT PIC

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY: February 11, 1856 Republican Montgomery Blair argues before U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of his client, the slave Dred Scott; later served in [Republican] President Lincoln’s CabinetFast Facts: Dred Scott v. Sandford Case Argued: February 11–14, 1856; reargued December 15–18, 1856 Decision Issued: March 6, 1857 Petitioner: Dred Scott, an enslaved man Respondent: John Sanford, the enslaver of Dred Scott Key Question: Were enslaved American citizens protected under the U.S. Constitution? Majority Decision: Chief Justice Taney with Justices Wayne, Catron, Daniel, Nelson, Grier, and Campbell Dissenting: Justices Curtis and McLean Ruling: The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that enslaved people and their descendants, whether free or not, could not be American citizens and thus had no right to sue in federal court. The Court also ruled the Missouri Compromise of 1820 unconstitutional and banned Congress from outlawing enslavement in new U.S. territories.