Question

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 scott and his family were citizens and had all the rights granted by the constitution.

Explanation:

Taney's claim in the Dred Scott case was that African Americans (enslaved or free) were not citizens and had no right to sue. A counterclaim would oppose this. The option "Because they were born in the United States, Dred Scott and his family were citizens and had all the rights granted by the Constitution" directly challenges Taney's view by asserting their citizenship based on birth in the US, which is a counterclaim. Other options either support Taney's stance or are not relevant to countering the citizenship/civil rights claim.

Answer:

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.