After the Dred Scott Decision Frederick Douglass said he sought to have Americans live up to the principles of the Constitution what did he believe prevented Americans from living up to the Constitution
Frederick Douglass believed that slavery was the primary factor preventing Americans from living up to the principles of the Constitution. The Dred Scott Decision, which asserted that African Americans, free or enslaved, were not citizens and therefore could not sue for their freedom, solidified the idea that those of African descent were considered property rather than citizens with Constitutional rights. Douglass saw this as a stark contradiction to the ideals of liberty and equality upon which the United States was founded. He believed that the institution of slavery perpetuated a system of injustice, dehumanization, and denial of basic rights, and thus hindered Americans from fully living up to the promises made in the Constitution.
