Unit VII Scholarly Activity-HIS 1301

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HIS 1301

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Feb 20, 2024

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1 Unit VII Scholarly Activity Patricia Caesar CSU HIS 1301 American History I Scott Duryea 1/9/2024

2 Unit VII Scholarly Activity The Supreme Court's ruling in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) stands as a pivotal event that exacerbated disunion within the United States, intensifying sectional tensions by not only deepening the divide over the issue of slavery but also fundamentally challenging the legal and constitutional status of African Americans. This decision, far from fostering unity, contributed significantly to the trajectory of the American Civil War, increasing the conflict and solidifying the divisions that could not be reconciled between the North and the South. The mid-19th century was marked by intensifying debates over slavery, and the Dred Scott case emerged as a watershed moment that further fractured the nation. This paper explores the profound impact of the Dred Scott decision on disunion, providing a detailed analysis of its implications and elucidating how it catalyzed the American Civil War. The examination encompasses major social, political, and economic dynamics that played a role in this transformative event. The Dred Scott decision intensified disunion within the United States by delivering a judicial blow to the antislavery sentiments prevailing in the North. The Supreme Court, in its ruling, declared that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, were not and could never be citizens of the United States. This decision not only perpetuated the dehumanization of African Americans but also invalidated the efforts of free states to limit the expansion of slavery, effectively asserting that Congress had no authority to regulate slavery in the territories. The Dred Scott case originated when Dred Scott, an enslaved man, sued for his freedom because he had resided in free territories. However, the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, denied Scott's claim and went beyond the immediate dispute to make sweeping declarations. Taney asserted that Congress had no power to prohibit slavery in the territories, as it would violate slaveholders' constitutional rights. This expansive ruling went beyond the immediate dispute, sending shockwaves through the nation.

3 The Dred Scott decision catalyzed the American Civil War by heightening the tensions between the North and the South. The ruling, in essence, invalidated the compromises and legislative measures that had previously attempted to maintain a delicate balance between the interests of free and enslaved person states. This judicial fiat intensified Northern resentment, as it not only sanctioned the spread of slavery into the territories but also undermined the legal status of free African Americans. Socially, the Dred Scott decision deepened racial divisions and solidified the dehumanization of African Americans. By asserting that people of African descent had no rights that white men were bound to respect, the decision reinforced the deeply ingrained prejudices of the time. This exacerbated social tensions, as abolitionists and those with antislavery sentiments found themselves increasingly alienated by a legal system that sanctioned the institution of slavery. Politically, the Dred Scott decision exacerbated the existing political fault lines. It reinforced the perception that the federal government was favoring the interests of slaveholders over those seeking to limit the expansion of slavery. The ruling also contributed to the disintegration of political compromises, as it nullified the Missouri Compromise and emboldened Southern states in their push for the expansion of slavery into the western territories. Economically, the Dred Scott decision had repercussions on the national debate over the economic system of the territories. By declaring that Congress could not restrict the spread of slavery, the decision tilted the economic balance in favor of Southern agrarian interests. This further heightened the economic disparities between the agrarian South and the industrializing North, aggravating the economic dimensions of the sectional conflict. In conclusion, the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision, with its profound implications on the legal status of African Americans and the expansion of slavery, played a pivotal role in intensifying disunion within the United States. Far from fostering unity, the decision catalyzed the American Civil War by deepening sectional tensions and challenging the

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