Stepping Stones to the Civil War
The Dred Scott Case 1857
Russ elaborates on the case of Scott, who was born in slavery back in 1795 and was obliged to migrate together with others following the great slave trade and was later taken to Missouri. When he as a freeman, he used to dwell in Wisconsin, Illinois territory. When he tried to purchase his freedom, his master could not allow him. He filed litigation against his master, arguing that he lived in an area that banned slavery. Nevertheless, the US Supreme Court ruled against him.
The Lincoln Douglas Debates 1858
As per the Lincoln-Douglas debates, there was an episode of seven motions in from of the multitude regarding the issue of the slave trade and its advancement. It is during this debate that Lincoln made because famous among the southerners and northerners. Douglas argued that he would do anything to fight for the founding fathers and that Lincoln posed a great risk to the constitution. Lincoln, however, ascertained that Dred Scott’s case would nationalize slavery and was against it.
The Fugitive Slave Law 1850
Graf (2019) confirms that Fugitive Slave Law permitted for hunt and capture of the slaves who escaped anywhere in the US. In the period 1850-1860, many blacks fled to northern Canada because most feared being seized. Although slavery was prohibited in Canada, no law criminalized discrimination of slaves.
Was the American Civil War inevitable?
The above events that resulted in the Civil War show that it was unavoidable. Many parties did not agree on anything. Lincoln’s election triggered the Southern session into secession but did not lead to war (OpenStax, 2019). One can infer that the election of Lincoln was the ultimate nail in the Civil War casket. The war was necessary because, as shown by past discussions and events, communication alone could not bridge the nation’s rift.
References
Graf, C. (2019). Crossing the Border to Freedom. Faces, 35(8), 16.
OpenStax. (2019). US history. OpenStax CNX. Retrieved from https://cnx.org/contents/p7ovuIkl@6.18:gMXC1GEM@7/Introduction
Russ, V. (2019, September 25). Philadelphia judges find modern meaning in the 1857 Dred Scott case. Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA).