IS 275

INTRODUCTION:

Dred Scott was born in Virginia around 1799. He was the property of the Peter Blow family. He spent his life as a slave. He was also illiterate.

In 1834, Dr. Emerson took Dred Scott to Illinois and the territory of upper Wisconsin where slavery had been forbidden under the terms of The Missouri Compromise. Dred Scott was brought back to Missouri in 1838.

Dred Scott won a lawsuit asking for his freedom in Missouri State Court on the grounds that that he was entitled to his freedom since he had been living in a free territory and according to the Missouri Compromise he could sue for his freedom. The ruling was overturned by the Missouri state supreme court. The case was than taken to the U.S. Supreme Court where in its 1857 decision that stunned the nation upheld slavery in United States territories, denied the legality of black citizenship in America, and declared the Missouri Compromise to be unconstitutional.

TASK:

Pretend that you are back in the 1800’s. You are member in a courtroom while the Dred Scott case is going on. You will role-play in a mock court situation based on the Dred Scott case. You will be given one of the roles in the scenario of actually being at the Dred Scott case. You will take a role, for instance, the Judge, the Prosecutor, the Defense Attorney, Dred Scott, a court officer, a jury, or a member of the audience. You will have to prepare to present your part after doing research about the case. If you are a member of the audience you will have to make a banner either for Dred Scott or against him. In the end, you will be asked what would you have done to possibly turn this case around.

PROCESS:

You will study the essential facts of the Dred Scott case using the CompuLegal resources.
You will also study other websites for background information about the case, and along the way you will complete a research that will prepare you for your role in the mock court. (see resources below)
You will work independently to formulate questions that are for and against Dred Scott.
You will come together in groups to discuss your ideas.
You are going to decide who will represent the members of the court, jurors, judge, lawyers, etc.
You will also decide who will be for Dred Scott and who will be against Dred Scott in the audience.
Those who are going to be members of the audience are going to construct banners either for or against to hang in the mock courtroom.
You will gather with your other classmates at the end to discuss what

might possibly have been done differently to turn this case around.

RESOURCES:

https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/scales/dred.html

http://www.sos.state.mo.us/archives/resources/africanamerican/scott/scott.asp

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pif&GRid=1573&PIgrid=1573&PIcrid=27890&ShowCemPhotos=Y&

http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/curriculumkit/lessons/stlouis/2facts3.htm

https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/crit3/a3.html

CONCLUSION:

After having completed this WebQuest you will have learned all about Dred Scott as an individual. You also will have experience with the Dred Case and the judicial process as it relates to this case. Further, you will have gained knowledge about the Supreme Court ruling and the importance of this case as it relates to the question of slavery in America.

STANDARDS:

English Language Arts

E1c-Read and comprehend informational materials

E3b-Participate in- group meetings

E3c-Prepare and deliver an individual presentation

E4a-Demonstrate an understanding of the rules of the English Language in written and oral work

E5a-Utilizing and analyzing functional documents

E7a-Utilizing and analyzing public documents

Social Studies

Standard 1: History of the United States and New York

Standard 5: Civic, Citizenship, and Government

Career Development and Occupational Standards

II: Integrated Learning