State Historical Society of Iowa

U.S. Supreme Court Majority Opinion on Dred Scott v. John Sanford Case, March 6, 1857

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Courtesy of National Archives, "Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)," U.S. Supreme Court, 6 March 1857

Description

On March 6, 1857, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney of the U.S. Supreme Court shared the majority opinion in the ruling of Dred Scott v. John Sandford. The Supreme Court ruled that slaves were not citizens of the United States and, therefore, could not expect any protection from the federal government or the courts.

Full Transcript of U.S. Supreme Court Majority Opinion on Dred Scott v. John Sanford

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Source-Dependent Questions

  • What were the reasons why the United States Supreme Court ruled against Dred Scott?
  • How did this ruling compare to the Iowa Supreme Courts ruling in the case of Ralph?
  • How did the Iowa ruling model for everyone the need for upholding the civil rights of citizens of Iowa and the United States? How did the Dred Scott ruling set that progress back?

Citation Information 

"Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)," U.S. Supreme Court, 6 March 1857. Courtesy of National Archives