Uncovering the Dred Scott Trial
Student Directions

Visit the Old Courthouse in the 1850s model of the Virtual St. Louis site to find information about Dred Scott.

Read the page titled DRED SCOTT.

Summarize the background information using the W questions.

WHO
WHAT
WHEN
WHERE
WHY
HOW

Click the blue BACK button at the bottom of the page, select FREEDOM SUIT.

Click on the blue PERSPECTIVES button at the bottom, choose the UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT. Find the “OPINION OF THE COURT”. Click it.

Read the excerpt of Justice Taney’s Opinion.

Your teacher will assign you and your group a section of the Opinion. Use dictionaries or thesauruses to help you figure out the meaning of your section.

Write down definitions or synonyms of difficult or out of date words you find. Use the new words to rewrite your section so that it makes sense to us today.

Rewrite your section of the Opinion neatly and present it to the class.

Reflect: Why do you think the Dred Scott Case was important to the country at the time?