State v. Mann

When we think about the past, and the racial events that have occurred, slavery is what most of us American's see as the beginning of the start of racial differences in America. There are many court cases that paved the way for freedom for so many people in this country. Stave v. Mann was a case that influenced how the United States was going to function and a big influence for cases in the future.

In the case of Lydia, a slave, she was shot and almost killed by a slave owner who was renting her, Mr. Mann. Mann was not found guilty. The Supreme Court ruled that Mann was the slave owner and that since Lydia tried to run away, that Mann was in his right to discipline her any way that he could. On behalf of Lydia, they argued that it was cruel and unusual punishment and that Mann was too aggressive.

Even though Mann had won, this case paved the way to more discussions in the North and the South about slavery and wether or not there should be a continuation and growing of slavery around the country.