During the 1830's Dred Scott had accompanied his owner, Dr John Emerson of Missouri, to Illinois, where slavery had been barred by state law and to Wisconsin Territory, where it was outlawed by the Missouri Compromise. After returning to Missouri, Scott sued for his freedom, claiming that residence on free soil had made him free.
The case went all the way to the supreme court, and began on February 11, 1856. The case had gained notoriety and Scott received support from many abolitionists, including powerful politicians and high-profile attorneys. But on March 6, 1857, , Scott lost his fight for freedom.