Landmark Supreme Court Cases: Dred Scott v. Sandford | Civics & American History

This Landmark Supreme Court Cases: Dred Scott v. Sandford Article & Review for Civics & American History introduces students to one of the most controversial Supreme Court decisions. Content covers the Missouri Compromise, Dred Scott’s fight for freedom, the Dred Scott v. Sandford Supreme Court decision, and the ruling’s impact on both the Civil War and the 14th Amendment. Perfect for middle and high school students studying this landmark Supreme Court Case in Civics, American Government, or American History!

Students will read about the historical context of the Dred Scott v. Sandford ruling in a two-page article, the details of the case, and the impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling — particularly on the Civil War and the 14th Amendment. They will then demonstrate what they have learned in a two-page comprehension review, focusing on key concepts and vocabulary from the informational text. Finally, students will exercise their research skills and supporting a claim with evidence in the short essay response! This print-and-go lesson requires no prep and is perfect for your unit on Landmark Supreme Court Cases, easy sub plans, or even a review activity to prep for end-of-the-year exams or the Civics EOC!

Aligned to the following Florida State Standard for Middle School Civics (and easily applicable to other states’ objectives as well):

• SS.7.CG.3.11: Analyze the effects of landmark Supreme Court decisions on law, liberty and the interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. 

This Landmark Supreme Court Cases: Dred Scott v. Sandford Article & Review for Civics & American History resource includes:

✯ The two-page Dred Scott v. Sandford reading passage. This engaging, easy-to-understand article breaks down the historical context leading up to Dred Scott v. Sandford, including the Missouri Compromise of 1820, details of the case and the Supreme Court’s ruling, as well as Dred Scott’s impact on the Civil War and Reconstruction Amendments. 

Topics include:

• The Missouri Compromise of 1820
• The “once free, always free” legal precedent
• Dred Scott v. Emerson
• Dred Scott v. Sandford
• The Fifth Amendment
• Dred Scott’s impact on the eventual American Civil War
• The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, and how the 14th Amendment overturned the citizenship decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford. 

Students can read this article independently, or you can read it as a group, guiding the class through highlighting key concepts and major vocabulary terms. 

✯ The two-page Dred Scott v. Sandford Comprehension Review. This review contains ten (10) comprehension questions that gauge the students’ understanding of the article. 

Sample questions include:

• What were the conditions of the Missouri Compromise of 1820?
• John Sanford claimed the Missouri Compromise violated his Fifth 
  Amendment rights. What was his argument, and how did it relate to Dred Scott’s freedom? 
• How did the 14th Amendment in particular overturn the ruling of Dred Scott v. Sandford?

✯ An optional Dred Scott v. Sandford Short Essay Response worksheet. In this enrichment activity, students must employ their research skills by finding evidence in the article to support two claims made about the Dred Scott v. Sandford landmark case. 

This resource is a great print-and-go lesson for Dred Scott v. Sandford, which is an impactful and important case, but can sometimes be tricky for students to understand. The clear, engaging reading passage will give them the important facts and vital historical context; the comprehension review will make sure they’ve understood the main ideas; and the short essay response will teach them how to support a claim with evidence. 

This resource is presented as a non-editable, printable PDF. An answer key is included. A digital version of this resource is available through TPT Easel, which can be assigned directly to your Google Classroom!

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