Fugitive Slave Act Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Fugitive Slave Act?
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was a law passed by Congress which allowed for the capture and return of runaway slaves. It was part of the Compromise of 1850 between the North and South and was enforced until it was later repealed by legislation during the Civil War. The act declared that any person aiding or abetting a fugitive slave could be fined up to $1,000 or imprisoned for up to six months.The Fugitive Slave Act had wide-reaching consequences, from fueling abolitionist sentiment in the North to setting off a chain reaction of events leading to civil war in the South. It encouraged fear among free blacks in both regions as they were now under constant threat that they might be seized and sold into slavery, even if they weren’t actually slaves themselves. The act also caused many African-Americans who were already enslaved in Southern states to flee northward as far as Canada in an effort to escape their masters.The Fugitive Slave Act had disastrous economic implications on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line as well. In order for Northerners to comply with federal law, they had to bear certain costs such as employing bounty hunters or paying fines when caught harboring fugitives; while Southerners suffered economically from having their valuable property taken away from them without compensation whenever an escaped slave was not returned successfully. This disparity between Northern and Southern economies contributed further strain on relations between North and South prior to secession. The effects of this law are still felt today through its legacy of racism, discrimination, inequality and injustice experienced by African Americans throughout our country’s history since its passage over 150 years ago. The Fugitive Slave Act serves as a reminder that although slavery may have been abolished long ago, its ramifications continue to permeate American society today.