Question

If the Missouri Supreme Court has already made a decision about Dred Scott's case, why are we listening to it again?

a) To revisit the case after new evidence emerged.
b) To settle conflicting decisions between courts.
c) To hold a retrial for a fair outcome.
d) To discuss the case's historical significance.

Answer 1

The U.S. Supreme Court revisited the Dred Scott case to settle conflicting decisions between courts, specifically to address important national issues on slavery and the constitutionality of the Missouri Compromise.

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering why the Dred Scott case was heard again, it is essential to look at the decision made by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1857. In the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision, the Court, led by Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, deemed that Dred Scott, an African American slave who had resided in free territories, was not entitled to his freedom.

Furthermore, the Court declared that African Americans could not be citizens of the United States.

The initial Missouri Supreme Court decision on the case had been reversed, leading Scott's lawyers to appeal to the federal courts.

The motivations for revisiting the case included the desire to resolve significant national issues surrounding slavery, such as the constitutionality of the Missouri Compromise and the legal standing of slaves who had lived in free territories.

Therefore, the option that best fits as an answer here is (b) To settle conflicting decisions between courts. This is because the Supreme Court aimed to settle the ongoing slavery debate and the constitutionality of related legislation, rather than revisiting the case due to new evidence, a retrial, or discussing historical significance.