Class Update: 11-26-12 and 11-27-12

Yesterday in class we discussed the case of Dred Scott vs. John Sandford. Basically, the case was a slave versus his master to sue for his freedom. Scott believed he could win this case because he had lived on free land for quite some time. Also, there were other cases of this in which the slave was able win. It was interesting to see that the final verdict was basically an opinion. The judge was strongly anti-slavery which obviously caused him to rule against Dred Scott. This judge's ruling would also end up changing the way the public viewed slavery and popular sovereignty. Today in class we watched a video clip depicting the debates between Abraham Lincoln and Steven Douglas. Each one was vying for the position of Illinois senator. I was shocked to see some of the racist things Lincoln had said. I think most people, including myself, tend to idealize him by saying how he was for equality. In reality the country was a century away from equality it would have been shocking for the time to see Lincoln preach such a thing.