The term 'HISTORIC SCOTT' refers to Dred Scott, an African-American man who was enslaved in the United States in the mid-1800s. He is most famous for his legal battle to gain freedom from slavery, which eventually reached the Supreme Court. In 1857, the court ruled against him, denying him his freedom and affirming the legality of slavery in the United States. This ruling was a major factor in the start of the Civil War.