In 1857, the Supreme Court ruled that this person didn't have the right to sue because he was only a piece of property, not a citizen. This decision incensed abolitionists and was a stepping stone to the Civil War.

The Dred Scott case fueled the movement to abolish slavery and served the stepping stone to the Civil War. Dred Scott, along with several members of his family, was formally emancipated by his owner just three months after the Supreme Court denied them their freedom.