Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
Teaching Recommendations Based on Your Time

If you have one day . . .
  • Begin with the background summary and questions. Use the activity titled "Trace Dred Scott's Travels on a U.S. Map" to help students understand the facts of the case.

  • Read the excerpt from the majority opinion and discuss the questions.

  • For homework, have students read the newspaper editorials on the Supreme Court's decision and/or complete the activity titled "Visit Dred Scott's Grave."
If you have two days . . .
  • Begin with the background summary and questions. Use the activity titled "Trace Dred Scott's Travels on a U.S. Map" to help students understand the facts of the case.

  • Complete and discuss the activity titled "Classifying Arguments in the Case."

  • For homework, have students read the excerpt from the majority opinion and answer the questions.

  • On the second day, discuss the majority opinion and questions. Compare the majority opinion with the dissenting opinion.

  • Read the newspaper editorials on the Supreme Court's decision and analyze Abraham Lincoln's speech on the decision.

  • For homework, have students complete the activity titled "Visit Dred Scott's Grave."

If you have three days . . . If you have four days . . .
Resources
About landmarkcases.org
 
Teaching Recommendations
Based on Your Time

 
Background Summary
and Questions

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Reading Level
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Reading Level
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Reading Level
 
Historical Background and Resources from "Africans in America" by PBS / WGBH
 
Diagram of How the Case Moved Through the Court System
 
Key Excerpts from the Majority Opinion
 
Key Excerpts from the Dissenting Opinion
 
Full Text of the Majority Opinion

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Activities
    The Case
Read a Dred Scott Chronology
 
Trace Dred Scott's Travels on a U.S. Map
 
Classifying Arguments in the Case
 
Political Cartoon Analysis
 
Accounts from the Courtroom

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    After the Case
Read Newspaper Editorials on the Supreme Court's Decision
 
Read Abraham Lincoln's Speech on the Dred Scott Decision
 
Read a Historian's Discussion of Dred Scott's Significance
 
Visit Dred Scott's Grave
 
How Difficult is it to Become a Citizen?

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