Curtis’s Stand

This worksheet introduces Justice Benjamin Curtis’s dissent from the Dred Scott ruling. Students rewrite his argument in plain English and explain why he disagreed with the Court’s majority. The exercise builds skills in paraphrasing, civic reasoning, and evaluating dissent as a democratic principle.

Curriculum Matched Skills

Civics – Judicial Dissent and Constitutional Interpretation

English Language Arts – Paraphrasing Complex Legal Texts

Social Studies – Supreme Court Opinions and Minority Views

Critical Thinking – Evaluating Arguments and Counterarguments

This worksheet is part of our Dred Scott Decision collection.