Analyzing Ideas, Structure, and Purpose in Machiavelli’s The Prince
Question 2 • ELA 10B - 2023
Which statement provides the best counterclaim to Taney’s claim?Because Dred Scott was the son of a enslaved person, he would always be considered enslaved regardless of what the courts decided.Because Dred Scott’s parents were born in a different county, Dred Scott could not be considered a citizen of the United States.Because Dred Scott lived in Wisconsin and Illinois, his freedom should have been granted without having to sue Sanford in court.Because they were born in the United States, Dred
Answer
A
Because Dred Scott was the son of a enslaved person, he would always be considered enslaved regardless of what the courts decided.
B
Because Dred Scott’s parents were born in a different county, Dred Scott could not be considered a citizen of the United States.
C
Because Dred Scott lived in Wisconsin and Illinois, his freedom should have been granted without having to sue Sanford in court.
D
Because they were born in the United States, Dred Scott and his family were citizens and had all the rights granted by the Constitution.
Explanation
Taney argued that people of African descent could not be citizens of the United States. A counterclaim would challenge that argument by saying that Dred Scott and his family were citizens because they were born in the United States and therefore had constitutional rights. That is the statement in choice D.
AI-written and checked against the verified answer.