Dred Scott v. Sandford (1875) Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dred Scott v. Sandford (1875) - Term Paper Example This case was and has still remained to be one of the most significant cases that were ever heard in the US Supreme Court: hence, my reason for choosing it. Specifically, this case through its outcome that was controversial led to the civil war outbreak between the northern and southern American states (Konig, Finkelman & Bracey, 2010). The main subject matter in this case is noisy historical and constitutional debates that led to the outbreak of American Civil War and which also propelled Abraham Lincoln to White House as the President of America. His outright opposition of the ruling of the Supreme Court, which galvanized the abolition movement, spurred the resurgence of his political career. Additionally, this case outline the concept of citizenship as being essential in attaining certain matters such suing in a court of law (Greenberg, 2010). For instance, among the reasons why Scott’s case was dropped in the Missouri courts was that him and other slaves were not US citize ns, and as such, could not file petitions in court or sue in any form. In reality, the court acknowledged that slaves could be moved from one state to another without any objection from them. In choosing this case, I have also incorporated another key aspect or question used to define the case, which was whether an African American such as Dred Scott could be part of a political community/movement created by the US citizens in terms of membership (Herda, 2011). While Dred Scott did not out rightly win his freedom through the American court systems, the valiant fight he put up, with the help of his family, friends and lawyers led to the emergence of the Civil War that eventually brought an end to slavery. I find this aspect quite essential and which one can learn from with regards to defining the history of the civil war. Summary of Sources The following articles obtained from the State Historical Society of Missouri have been used in support of this case analysis. 1. Ehrlich, Walter . â€Å"Was the Dred Scott Case Valid?† v. 63, no. 3 (April 1969), pp. 317-328. In this article, the author seeks to redefine the concepts of the case of Dred Scott v. Sandford by unwrapping one of the most dodgy questions have had in their minds: was the case valid? In this article, Ehrlich seeks to determine the case’s genuineness by noting that in delivering the ruling, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney might have taken sides so as to bring a ruling against or for slavery. However, he notes that this was immediately contended with some people disagreeing and regarding the ruling as fictitious. Since these allegations could not be overruled, Ehrlich in this article seeks to verify the same on whether there were any political inspirations behind the oppositions (Ehrlich, 1969). 2. Dred Scott v. Sandford" Great Events from History: North American Series Ed. Frank Northen Magill and John L. Loos. Salem Press, Inc. 1997 eNotes.com 6 Nov, 2013 http://www.enotes.com/topics/dred -scott-v-sandford/reference#reference-dred-scott-v-sandford-483926 In this article, the theme concept is to outline the ruling by the Supreme Court in application that the Congress cannot limit slavery into the territories originally recognized for the same. This article brings into limelight the political repercussions that originated from the initial Supreme Court ruling. By not limiting slavery territories, the Supreme Court