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:

In the Dred Scott v. Sandford case, Chief Justice Taney contended that Black individuals were not considered citizens and were seen as inferior beings. The lack of concrete evidence supporting this belief and the discrepancies regarding the rights of emancipated individuals form valid counterclaims.


Explanation:

Chief Justice Taney in the Dred Scott v. Sandford case argued that Black people were not intended to be citizens under the Constitution and were considered subordinate beings, regardless of emancipation.

Taney's claim can be countered by the fact that he did not provide substantive evidence to support the assertion that Black individuals were universally deemed inferior at that time.

This dissent challenges Taney's argument based on the lack of rights and liberties granted to Black individuals, even if they were emancipated or born free.


Learn more about Dred Scott v. Sandford case here:

https://brainly.com/question/41672761