Dred Scott v. Sandford

Dred Scott v. Sandford

Dred Scott v. Sandford case summary, 1857 Supreme Court decisions, homework help

Dred Scott Lesson for Kids: Case, Decision & Facts

The Root Problem: Jurisdiction In Dred Scott v. Sandford, 60 U.S. 393 (1857), the Supreme Court held that people of African descent were not “citizens” under the U.S. Constitution, and therefore the federal courts had no jurisdiction to hear their cases. Chief Justice Taney literally wrote that: “The words ‘people of the United States’ and ‘citizens’ are synonymous… and they do not include the African race.” That means: once the Court says you are not a citizen, the United States courts are, by