Lesson 18: The Union in Peril part 7 The Dred Scott Case Lesson 18: The Union in Peril part 7

As new political parties formed, the North and South grew further apart. Several events led to the final split between the North and South.

The first was an 1857 Supreme Court decision involving a slave, Dred Scott. Scott, a slave who had lived in the free state of Illinois and the free territory of Wisconsin before moving back to the slave state of Missouri, had appealed to the Supreme Court in hopes of being granted his freedom.

In Dred Scott v. Sanford, Chief Justice Roger B In Dred Scott v. Sanford, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney wrote declared that all blacks -- slaves as well as free -- were not and could never become citizens of the United States. Therefore, since Scott was not a citizen, he had no right to sue.

The court also declared the 1820 Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, thus permitting slavery in all of the country's territories. They said territories could not exclude slavery for it would be denying a person their property.

Southerners cheered the decision Southerners cheered the decision. They felt that it allowed slavery to be extended into all the western territories. That year, proslavery forces in Kansas applied for statehood with a constitution allowing slavery. Congress quickly passed a law that required a vote on the new state constitution.

Voters in Kansas rejected it Voters in Kansas rejected it. Northerners cheered the outcome, while Southerners criticized it.

To counter the Supreme Court, Senator Douglas issued what became known as the Freeport Doctrine. It was a call for people in the western territories to get around the Dred Scott decision by electing representatives who would not enforce slave property laws.