Dred+Scott

= **DRED SCOTT**  = = = Name: Dred Scott Age: 51 Gender: Male Occupation: Slave If in politics, what was your occupation prior to that: Social Class: Slave Financial Situation: Poor Appearance: Location: Missouri Daily Routine: works throughout the day, works to gain his freedom Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits: wants to attain freedom Past/Individual and family history: Originally named Sam Scott, but when his brother Dred died he decided to use his brother's name. Family: Wife Harriet Scott, Daughter Eliza Scott, Second daughter Lizzie Scott Social relations with others: Master John Emerson, Emerson's wife Irene Sanford, Irene's brother John Sanford, Religion: Education: none Conflicts/Enemies: John Sanford

**Journal #1** - The time frame is sometime during the year 1850. Consider all of the things that have taken place during the previous five years (Mexican-American War, Mexican Cession, Wilmot Proviso, Compromise of 1850, Fugitive Slave Act). You are free to write about any one (or more) of these things in your journal entry. Be sure to include your actions in response to one (or more) of these events  I am Dred Scott. It has been a while since my master John Emerson passed away and I have become the property of John Sanford, the brother of the widow Irene Sanford. I miss my former master Emerson, who gave me the legal standing to make a claim for freedom. I should have been aware of my rights when I traveled to the free lands with master Emerson…

Under my new master, John Scott, it will by hard for my wife and me to seek freedom. He is very brutal in treating us and thus we must escape this situation. Despite my hard effort to purchase our freedom in 1846, it was a failure. The law was and still is harsh because slaves did not have legal right in entering legal contracts. However, we were able to win freedom for our daughter Eliza since she was born was born on a steamboat between a free state and a free territory. I was so close in gaining liberation…

Now back to reality. Although I am trying to pursue the freedom of my family it has become harder to gain it because of the Fugitive Slave Law that was passed on September 18, 1850. The new law stated that Black men were not protected under the constitution and anyone could arrest any Black men who looked suspicious of a runaway slave. Mister Sanford will not make it easy for me to win my freedom since he is a strong man who flourishes the use of slaves.

I need freedom. Freedom will make my life and my family’s life much more happier. We will not have to work for anyone anymore. I hope the day comes when no Black men is treated as a slave. And I hope I win the trial between me and the evil Sanford.

**Journal #2 -** The year is now 1852. Continue your story as you began in Journal #1. For this journal entry and all subsequent entries, you must interact with at least two other characters in each journal entry. When you interact with another character, provide a hyperlink to that character's page in your journal entry.

Here I am writing again in my journal. Nothing has changed much in my life. However I keep hearing stories of the heroic John Brown, who is fighting for the equality and freedom of African Americans. More people have to become like the courageous Mister Brown.

These days my head is full of questions like why do Black people have to suffer? Why am I suffering right now? Do I have to keep working for this bastard John Sanford? I think these questions are emerging right now because my wife and I were so close in achieving freedom. Two years ago a jury stated that we should be freed but the Chief Justice William Scott, in the Missouri Supreme Court a few months ago, opposed that proposal stating, [|“Times now are not as they were when the previous decisions on this subject were made.”] I cannot believe that my family, again, has been prevented from becoming happier. Frederick Douglass, a freed man, is a real lionhearted man. He was brave enough to attack his owner and leave him. I should become fearless and go against the miserable John Sanford and his wife Irene.

The Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Act is a real controversial that cannot be neglected in the life’s of current slaves. It has affected me very much and because of the Fugitive Slave Law I am afraid to run away since getting caught could possibly harm my entire family, even my lovely two daughters. I will continue to work on winning our freedom, even if it is against the law. Many more people, and states are becoming abolitionists and soon, I very much hope, big uprisings against slavery will occur.

This is it for today. Master Sanford is calling me over…probably to scold me again. I would be thankful if he doesn’t hit me again on the back. I will write again soon. 

It's 1854... the Kansas-Nebraska Act has passed. Squatters are now moving into Kansas in an attempt to sway the vote. Continue your story...
 * Journal #3 - **

I have some bad news… a year ago I sued the Sanfords again in the federal court. However luck did not follow me. Since the Missouri Compromise decided that I am a slave, the court ruled that I am a slave. Thus, I was not able to gain my freedom again. I feel very sorry for my wife and my children. My hard effort has not given my any good. There is probably no one who understands my feelings. Not even the other slaves.

The bad news is that the Kansas Nebraska Act has been passed in 1854. I heard that Stephen Douglas has passed it. I don’t believe that this Act is beneficial for the Black people since it states that every Black person, whether a slave or not, are voted by white people if they are a slave or not. Popular Sovereignty plays a big role in the life of a African American. Although the initial purpose of the Kansas Nebraska Act was creating the opportunities for the Mideastern railroad, it somehow has become a factor on which Blacks depend their lives on.

I heard Andrew Butler is the co-author of the Kansas Nebraska Act. It is heard that he is very excited to pass the Act. If I had the ability I would go to him and tell him about the morality of his decision. I have suffered enough from slavery. I think it is time for the Black people to unite an form a protest. I now that it is risky but I really want to become a freed man. Nevertheless, I heard that I am a unlucky one. The other slaves were freed before the time I filed my first suit. I am very unlucky man…

**Journal #4 -** It's now 1856. Bleeding Kansas has just taken place and John Brown emerged on to the scene. Buchanan was just elected as the US President. Dred Scott is arrested and is about to be brought to trial. Continue your story. So many bad things have happened these past few years. Now it is 1856. Still I have not won my freedom or my family’s freedom. Hard times are coming. I believe that anyone who is reading this diary will have heard about the event that happened in Kansas. It is also called Bleeding Kansas. It started around 1854 and there were very violent fights in the western frontier town of Missouri. I hoped that Kansas would become a free state after this bloody war. Now I don’t really care what the result is… I have no hope in gaining my freedom. I am arrested again for another trial. I am sick and tired of going to trials now. I have lost all my faith in pursuing the freedom of my family and me. But now that we have the new President Buchanan, I will not loose the tiny bit of hope and faith. I hope he will make a wise decision in ruling me free. Well maybe he will not be part of my court ruling but I hope that he will make situations easier for slaves.

My arrest was very, very, very unfair. I hate all people. Why do they not treat people fairly? We are all human thus we should be equal. Do foreign places have this kind of discrimination? If no, I would like to flee there. People who have not gone through even a bit of my or any other slave’s life will not understand my feelings. Recently I have heard that a slave named Jim Jackson was freed. Why is gaining freedom so easy for other people while it is so hard for me! 

**Journal #5** - The year is 1860. Lincoln was just elected as US President, prompting South Carolina to secede. Write the next chapter in your story.   <span style="font-family: 바탕; font-size: 80%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">Over the four years many things happened. I couldn’t believe the rumors about President Buchanan. I heard that he urged the court to decide that I am and will be a slave forever of John Sanford. Why did he make such decision? Wouldn’t it be better to make me free? His image will be bad. Very, very bad. Through that decision I am living a life in hell every single day. The Sanford’s are treating me like garbage.

Recently I heard that a new president got elected. I think his name was Lincoln. These days I frequently heard that he is the good guy. He is trying to get all the slaves free I think. I hope he does his job well and make us all free and punish all those who treat us like dung. Nowadays I feel weird when I don’t do any work. Doing work is already a part of my life. No wonder… I have been doing it for over twenty years… These days there are so many problems in this country that I feel that I need to escape here with my family.

The words are getting louder every day. The south and the north are having problems that they can’t solve. Although there were many compromises there was nothing that could create a lasting peace. If this continues…United States will end up in a war. Where will I go when war occurs? Maybe this is a chance for me to escape this country. Nobody will have time to take an eye on me. Or maybe I could volunteer to fight! Then President Lincoln would be so nice enough to give us freedom. Or maybe war is not a good thing for slaves. Maybe they will make us work more and more since food may lack due to the war! I don’t know… I hope that President Lincoln makes a wise decision… <span style="font-family: 바탕;">