Dred Scott, who was born a slave in Missouri, traveled with his master to the free territory of Illinois. As a result, Scott later sued his master for freedom, which the lower courts usually granted.

The plaintiff [Dred Scott]... was, with his wife and children ... and consequently his suit against Sandford was not a suit between citizens of different States, and the court had no authority ...

Written by a slaveholder and joined by five other slaveholders, Dred Scott v. Sandford's reasoning is continuous with the consent theory that surfaced in enslaving states. It treats the denial of ...

The group then cites six cases including Dred Scott v Sandford. The 1857 ruling came a few years before the 1861 outbreak of ...