The Supreme Court in 1857 thought it could avoid war by finding that African Americans were not citizens. The effect was precisely the opposite.

A focused video lecture explaining the Supreme Court case, Scott vs Sandford, better known as the Dred Scott Decision. In this 12 minute video, take a look at the facts of the case, the court's rational and decision, and most importantly...

The 1857 Supreme Court case Dred Scott v. Sandford inflamed sectional tensions over slavery and propelled the United States toward civil war.

This video is a brief overview of the Dred Scott vs. Sandford case that had major consequences on the definition of citizenship in the United States. [7:48]