In this Dred Scott activity, your students will examine the landmark case in relation to the larger question of judicial activism. As such, it's important to relate this case to current events or current court cases that emphasize controversial decisions. After reading about the Dred Scott decision and identifying both sides of the case, split your class up into teams to discuss the reasoning behind Dred Scott's position and the reasoning behind the court's decision. Discuss the definition, purpose, procedures, effects, and usefulness of judicial activism. Then, assign a current court case and ask your students to find similarities and differences across time periods. Relating current affairs to the past will help your students connect to history in an active way.
The Dred Scott case was significant in part because of its relation to the Civil War. To emphasize the effects of the Dred Scott case on the American people, ask your students to create a timeline. This will provide a visual picture of slave freedom lawsuits and their relation to other American historical moments in time. This is an ideal project for small groups; the group can collaborate on which cases and moments in time they find significant and chart them on a long poster. Ask your students not only to chart the time and issue, but also the effects of the case. It's best to use a long strip of paper for this project. Your students can also present their visual timeline to the class after creating it. You may want to ask each group why they chose particular cases and moments.
Focusing on the American reaction to the Dred Scott case, ask your students to imagine that they are Americans during that time period. After discussing the Dred Scott case and varying viewpoints on the decision, have your students write editorial pieces or letters to the editor of a newspaper about the decision. You can even give your students the option of writing from Dred Scott's or his wife Harriet's point of view. To create more variety, you can assign different characters and viewpoints, such as a slave in another state or a jury member. Encourage them to be creative. Compile these together and create a page in a newspaper.
To connect the Dred Scott case to other racial discrimination cases in American history, ask your students to research and examine the various racism and discrimination faced by ethnic groups in the United States. This prompt is ideal for a library visit or long-term research project. Have your students research the legal system and describe the purpose of the United States Constitution. Then, ask them to review at least three cases, including the Dred Scott case, brought before the Supreme Court and examine their effectiveness in changing society.