Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Dred Scott v. Sandford, written by Justice Taney:

"The question before us is, whether the class of persons described in the plea in abatement compose a portion of this people, and are constituent members of this sovereignty? We think they are not, and that they are not included, and were not intended to be included, under the word 'citizens' in the Constitution, and can therefore claim none of the rights and privileges which that instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States. On the contrary, they were at that time considered as a subordinate and inferior class of beings, who had been subjugated by the dominant race, and, whether emancipated or not, yet remained subject to their authority, and had no rights or privileges but such as those who held the power and the Government might choose to grant them."

Which statement best serves as a counterclaim to the claim in this passage?

A. Taney fails to provide any actual evidence for his statements that Black people were universally considered inferior.
B. Taney cannot use states' rights to claim that the plaintiff is not a citizen, because citizenship is federal.
C. Taney's argument that emancipated people were still controlled by White people is false because they were free.
D. Taney's argument that Blacks were not citizens is false because their ancestors were forced to come here.



Answer :

Final answer:

The Dred Scott v. Sandford case denied African Americans their citizenship rights, leading to the challenge against this marginalization. The Citizenship Clause contradicted Taney's assertion of perpetual inferiority for Black individuals, granting them citizenship. The ruling showcased the racial discrimination in pre-Civil War America and the quest for equality.


Explanation:

The Dred Scott v. Sandford case involved Chief Justice Taney declaring that African Americans, whether free or enslaved, could not be considered U.S. citizens. This led to the denial of fundamental rights and protections guaranteed by the Constitution to this marginalized group.

Taney's claim that Black individuals were not citizens was refuted by the Citizenship Clause, which countered the decision by granting citizenship and its associated rights to African Americans, challenging Taney's assertion of their perpetual inferior status.

The ruling in Dred Scott v. Sandford exemplified the deep-rooted racism and injustice prevalent in American society before the Civil War, highlighting the struggle for equality and civil rights for African Americans.


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