Lesson
Dred Scott v. Sandford DBQ
Objectives:
- Students will be able to compare and contrast the arguments regarding the spread of slavery, by analyzing primary sources.
- Students will evaluate arguments in light of constitutional principles.
Materials
- Handout A: Student Handout
- United States maps showing free states, slave states, and U.S. territories during the period from 1830 to 1857. An animated map such as this Annenberg Learner interactive United States history map showing how the nation expanded one (but one which the teacher can stop and start at appropriate points during the discussion) would be useful to display throughout the lesson.
Lesson Components
Five primary sources that explore the background of and the Supreme Court opinions in the Dred Scott decision.
Lesson plan
More Information
If desired, provide each student with an outline map showing U.S. states and territories in the period 1830–1850.
Standards
Advanced Placement
- Topic 5.6 · Failure of Compromise
- Theme · Politics and Power
- Learning Objective · Unit 5G
- Historical Development · 5.2.II.B.ii
- Reasoning Skill · Sourcing and Situation
- Reasoning Skill · Source Claims and Evidence
- Reasoning Skill · Making Connections
- Reasoning Skill · Argumentation
- Reasoning Process · Comparison
- Reasoning Process · Causation
- Reasoning Process · Continuity and Change
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Related materials
Five primary sources that explore the background of and the Supreme Court opinions in the Dred Scott decision.
The Dred Scott v. Sandford case of 1857 was brought to the Supreme Court just four years before the start of the Civil War. Dred Scott sued his master for his freedom and Judge Robert Taney ultimately ruled two things. First, African Americans were not citizens and had no right to sue in court. Second, Congress did not have the constitutional authority to ban slavery from the states. This case is considered one of the worst rulings in the history of the Supreme Court.