One of the most controversial cases in American History was the case of Dred Scott versus Sanford. Dred Scott was a slave who lived with his owner, Doctor John Emerson in the free state of Illinois. Dred Scott and his wife, Harriet, both had lived in a free state for a decade, and they decided to file for emancipation. Commonly, slaves would sue for their freedom if they had live in free territory for a long period of time. Their cases were not at first acknowledged because of the outbreak of cholera and backed up court schedules but eventually their case was heard, and the Scotts won favor. But Doctor Emerson’s wife, Irene, was not pleased with the court’s decision. She filed a case against their freedom and the court decided to merge Harriet’s
