In the early 19th Century, the United States were divided over the issue of slavery. The majority of northern states wanted to stop its expansion or even abolish it, while the southern states wanted the opposite, as slavery was the most important factor in the southern economy. Eventually, the country broke into civil war over the issue. The American Civil War was a direct result of the building tension between the North and South due to lack of compromise and the difficulty of interpretation of the United States Constitution. The debate over slavery was not a new topic. Slavery was on the founding father’s minds when they wrote the Constitution, even though the word slave was never used in the document itself. Early on in the United States’ …show more content…
He believed that because an effective compromise could not be reached, slavery should continue. With the southern states happy, the Union would be restored, and all problems would be solved. However, many did not see indulging the South as a legitimate long-lasting solution, believing that slavery and its expansion needed to end, and again, that compromise was not an effective …show more content…
Curtis argued that Taney’s point was not valid, African-Americans could be citizens, and there were thousands of African-American citizens throughout New England. When speaking of them he brought up the point that “though descended from African slaves, (they) were not only citizens… but such of them as had the other necessary qualifications possessed the franchise of electors, on equal terms with other citizens.” The decision remained however, and Scott remained a slave. Soon after the court case, Scott and his family were sold and eventually freed by their new owners. Scott would die less than a year later in September of 1858. The Dred Scott case would have a profound impact on the weakening bonds of the country, with present day historians identifying it as one of the major causes of the Civil War. The big issue was that of interpreting the Constitution. The Constitution was an old document, even 150 years ago, and it could be read countless ways, each with a different meaning. With no clearly defined meaning to the Constitution, both sides tried to twist the document to their side, causing conflict and increasing tension. This quality of the document aided in splitting the North and South apart, partially leading to the eventual secession of eleven southern
The case of Scott vs. Sandford was a major factor in the movement for abolitionist. It empowered the newly republican party, and altered the constitution for the good. Till this day, U.S. colored citizens are now treated like citizens due to the Scott vs. Sandford case. Dred Scott, a slave who was purchased by a U.S surgeon -Dr. John Emerson- who worked for the army, moved together in the Wisconsin territory which was in the northern area.
The Dred Scott vs. Sanford Supreme Court case has gone down in history as one of the most notorious cases and recognized as driving the country closer to civil war. The case became controversial in 1833, because Dr. John Emerson, purchased Dred Scott, and moved to the Wisconsin Territory. From the Missouri Compromise, slavery was banned in the Wisconsin Territory, therefore, making Scott a free man, right? After living there for a number of years Emerson moved to St. Louis and died in 1843 leaving Eliza Irene Sanford, Emerson’s wife, the owner of Scott and his family. When Scott asked for freedom, Stanford declined which lead to Scott suing the state court, where he won and was acknowledged as a free man.
Due to the rulings of the court, it became regarded that by banning slavery in certain territories, the Missouri Compromise was very unconstitutional due to the fact that it would be taking away the private property possessed by the slaveowners, which was against the Bill of Rights. With the compromise be rid of, slavery was allowed in any territory, which meant that all states were to be considered “slave states”. The people of the Northern states were enraged by this decision. Friction between Northerners and Southerners grew dramatically and would cause the Civil War to take place, eventually ending slavery in the United States. With that being said, the Dred Scott case decision had very much influenced the future of slavery in
It was the summer of 1858 when a series of seven debates between two senatorial candidates in Illinois began on the issue of slavery and the potential for its expansion into new territories. The two candidates, Abraham Lincoln, and Stephan A. Douglas, continuously battled until October of 1858 when the last debate was held in Alton, Illinois. A month later, Lincoln, among other Republican candidates won the popular election by 52% but the democratic-leaning state legislature chose to have Douglas return to the senate instead. These debates heavily influenced the 1858 congressional election. The seven debates between Lincoln and Douglas were heavily complex but one theme remained throughout- was slavery constitutional?
Emme DiPasquale Period 2 APUSH D’Amico The social tension between the North and the South had ultimately divided the United States in ways that threatened the Union. Seeking compromise, the United States went forth with the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850, but this did not prevent what began in 1861, the Civil War. Slavery was a large aspect to the reason of the split between the North and South, as the North disagreed with slavery and fought for it to end, while the South favored slavery and fought for it to stay in the United States. The Compromise of 1820, also known as the Missouri Compromise, was created to attempt to preserve the balance of power in Congress between slave and free states. Along with
As young nations slowly progress to their full potential, many obstacles riddle their ways. For the United States, the Constitution was the word of law, written by demigods who could possibly do no wrong. Until of course, the question of archaic versus modern morality rises. Such was the problem in between the troubled years of 1820 and 1860. Rapid polarization on the institution of slavery between the North and the South, as well as the magnitude of importance of the ideologies of secession and slavery led to political compromise being increasingly difficult.
Scott without a doubt was not giving up his fight for freedom this easily because his case could also help other African American slaves stand up for themselves. Sandford was so angry with the fact that Scott won the second trial, Mrs. Emerson, Sanford’s sister took it upon herself to appeal the ruling which then went to the Missouri Supreme Court where Scott had lost in court again (William, 2014). Scott shows that the case was not about money but simply because he had been held illegally by Sanford which is why he sued to make Sanford pay for lost time over the years that he could never get back. In fact, this case was so powerful many believed that it was the cause which leads the Civil War to occur (150 Years Ago, 2007). With the help of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendment the Dred Scott decision was overturned, which now allows American citizens in the United States to sue in federal court (PBS,
The long time famous question regarding the United States’ history and the Civil War. Some argue that it was the moral standings on slavery alone, or political differences. Others say it was because of economical differences or territorial disputes. The cause of the Civil War was not just one of these reasons, it was all of them together which sparked the bloody American Civil War.
Abraham Lincoln once said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” These words reflected the exact circumstance that was presented to the nation in the times leading up to the Civil War. Before there was a Union and Confederacy, the division began with just the Northern and Southern states. Not only were these regions different regarding geography, but they also had many different views about individual life in the states. One of those differences revolved around slavery.
On March 6, 1857, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision on Dread Scott that would change America in a way that would forever be embarked in history. This decision would become known as the Dred Scott Decision and it came at a time in America when race was a very controversial subject. There were many causes to make this case to form and there were also many effects on America that this case brought with it. It caused uproar in the United States and caused many issues to be raised between slaves and whites. There were many causes leading up to the Dred Scott Decision, which included slaves not being treated fairly within the law, and how slaves were being used for labor and many other dirty things that the whites did not want to
By the 1860s, Americans could no longer solve their political disputes through compromise because slavery became a deeply entrenched and uncompromisable issue in America, the compromises made beforehand were counterproductive to their peaceful efforts, and there was confusion of the legality of secession. In 1860, slavery became such a passionate and divisive issue that a compromise could no longer be reached. As the years progressed and more people began to have a more definitive stance on slavery, the issue of slavery became deeply entrenched into America. As Lincoln states in Document G, slavery is an issue in, “politics, in religion, in literature, in morals, in all manifold relations in life…”
The Civil War broke out due to southern slave states declaring their independence from the United States to form the Confederacy and states that did not was known as the Union. The main reason the Civil War occurred was over the issue of slavery. The debate about the future of slavery led to the south’s secession which led to war between the north and the south. Slavery became an important issue between the North and the South.
To say the time period following the Civil War in the United States involved a lot of change would be a understatement. Between the years 1870 and 1900 the people of the United States lived through a period of great change. Not only did they witness technological advances that would change their daily lives, they also saw new laws and organizations formed. All of this was done in hopes of improving the country. Many of these changes came about because of the type of businesses that were formed.
Ever since the 1600s, slaves have held an important role in shaping America’s economy. Without this source of cheap labor, the United States would probably have had a frail economy, and the hope of independence remaining a distant dream. Before the Revolutionary War, the South relied heavily on slaves for their crops. However, after the Revolution, the number of slaves dropped drastically and rose rapidly at the same time. From 1775 to 1830, contradictory events occurred: the number of slaves decreased and increased at the same time.
The Supreme Court presiding over the Dred Scott case was mostly Southerners who feared that the South was in grave danger. Given this fact, it was no surprise that the Supreme Court ruled against Scott, stating that as a Missourian slave, Scott was not a citizen and so not afforded the rights due to a citizen, including the right to sue for his freedom. As a second measure, the Supreme Court also decreed that Congress had no constitutional right to ban the movement of private property, or in this case slaves, from any territory or state. Buchanan's mistake was that he interfered. Before his inaugural speech, Buchanan learned that the Supreme Court’s decision was going to be in favour of the South.