Dred.7z Today

: Under the legal principle of "once free, always free," the Scotts argued that their residence in free territory made them legally free. While they won an initial trial in 1850, the decision was overturned by the Missouri Supreme Court.

: The court ruled that African Americans, whether free or enslaved, were not and could never be citizens of the United States and therefore had no right to sue in federal court. Dred.7z

: It declared that the federal government could not prohibit slavery in any U.S. territory, effectively making the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional. : Under the legal principle of "once free,

: Shortly after the ruling, the Scotts were sold back to their original owners, the Blow family, who set them free in May 1857 . Dred Scott lived as a free man for about a year before passing away in 1858. Other Potential Meanings Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) - National Archives : It declared that the federal government could