Dred Scott v. Sandford
Definition
Dred Scott v. Sandford was an infamous Supreme Court case decided in 1857 where enslaved African American man Dred Scott sued for his freedom. The court ruled against him, declaring that slaves were property not citizens, thus had no rights under federal law.
Related terms
Fugitive Slave Act: Laws passed by Congress in 1793 and 1850 designed to ensure the return of runaway slaves to their owners.
Emancipation Proclamation: An executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862, declaring that all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory were to be set free.
14th Amendment: A constitutional amendment adopted after the Civil War that states, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States...are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside."
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