Dred Scott
Dred Scott (ca.
1799 -
September 17,
1858) was a
slave who sued unsuccessfully for his freedom in the famous
Dred Scott v. Sanford which bears his name. His case was based on the fact that his wife Harriet had once lived in states and territories where slavery was illegal. The court ruled 7 to 2 against Dred, stating that slaves were
property, and the court could not deprive people of their property without due process of law according to the
Fifth Amendment. This case was one of the major factors leading to the
American Civil War.
Some years after the case, Scott was returned to his original owners, who granted him his freedom less than a year and a half before his death.
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