Dred Scott was born a slave in 1795 and grew up being a slave. In 1847 Scott went to his first trial for freedom. Then after about ten years, in 1857, he was finally brought to the United States Supreme Court and they told him that anyone with african ancestry could never be considered an American citizen, so he couldn’t sue in a federal court. Then in 1857 Scott tried to go to court again after he was given to another man and became his slave. This man was captain of an army, he denied Scott’s request for freedom causing him to go to court again. Scott’s request was denied by the court. But then the next year, 1858, the people at the Missouri Supreme Court decided to retry the case. Then they decided by 1860 that Scott and his family were free. Then two years later the Missouri Supreme Court came back saying that they would be reversing their previous decision to free them. Then they were right back where they started. Then Dred appealed the case to the United States Supreme Court. But nine of the justices were bias about slavery. Seven of the nine were pro-slavery and five of the seven were slaveholding families. The same thing happened that time as what happened the first time. The decision also declared the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which restricted slavery in certain states, to be unconstitutional. The decision was also impacted by the election of Abraham Lincoln to the republican party which led to the South’s secession from the Union. Throughout the years a friend of Scott’s helped pay off the court fees. Then after the Supreme Court’s decision, the former master’s son bought Dred and his wife and set them free. Dred Scott then died nine months later.