---
title: "Dred Scott v. Sandford Definition | Model Diplomat"
description: "Dred Scott v. Sandford was a 1857 Supreme Court ruling declaring African Americans were not citizens, impacting civil rights and federal policies."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/dred-scott-v-sandford"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Dred Scott v.
- Sandford (1857) was a U.
- What were the three main holdings of Dred Scott v. Sandford?
- How was the Dred Scott decision overturned?
- Why is Dred Scott significant in constitutional history?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In March 1857, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney delivered the Supreme Court's opinion declaring Dred Scott a non-citizen, a ruling that helped propel Abraham Lincoln's Republican Party toward the 1860 presidential victory.

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