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Born into slavery.
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Dred Scott was sold to John Emerson (a United Staes army physician).
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Dred Scott and John Emerson move to the free state of Illinois.
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Dred Scott marries Harriet Robinson, a slave of another army doctor.
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Harriet gives birth to two daughters (Eliza and Lizzie).
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The Scotts move to Missouri with the Emerson family.
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Emerson dies and Dred Scott attempts to buy his freedom from Irene Emerson but she refuses.
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Dred + Harriet Scott allege that their home is in a free state therefore they should be granted freedom. This petition is filed in the St. Louis County Circuit Court.
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Emerson won the trial but Alexander Hamilton provided Scott with a retrial
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At the second trial the verdict is in Scotts favor so Irene files an appeal with the Missouri Supreme Court.
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Alexander Hamilton was a judge and a North American 19th century Black Activist so he denied Emersons petition to return the Scotts to their enslaver.
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Scott is sued John Sanford, the new enslasver of the Scott family.
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The court rules for John Sanford and is appealed to the Supreme Court.
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African Americans couldn't sue in federal court. Enslaved African Americans were also property therefore, they had no rights. The ruling found that Congress could not prohibit enslavement from spreading into the western territories
