Fugitive Slave Act

The Fugitive Slave Act was a law passed in 1850 that required citizens to assist in the capture of escaped enslaved people and imposed penalties on those who helped them. It aimed to strengthen the enforcement of slavery in the United States, particularly in the northern states where enslaved people often escaped. This law intensified tensions between the North and South, as many in the North resisted, leading to conflicts over moral and legal obligations regarding slavery. Ultimately, it played a significant role in the events leading up to the Civil War.