What was the Fugitive Slave Act?

Answer 1

The Fugitive Slave Act provided southern slaveholders with authorized weapons to capture slaves who had escaped to the North (or fugitive slaves) and helped to change many uninterested northerners to anti-slavery. It was also a piece of the collection of Laws referred to as the " Compromise of 1850". In this Compromise, the antislavery supporters achieved California as a free state, and the ban of slave trading in the District of Columbia, the capital of the United States. The pro-slavery party received compromise with regard to slaveholding in Texas and the passing the Fugitive Slave Act. Abolitionists detested the passing of this law, but the laws existence played a function in ending slavery a dozen years later. This law also encouraged the persistent process of the Underground Railroad, which was a series of more than 3,000 houses, and other places that helped the fugitive slaves escape to the North and Canada.

the fugitive slave act was an act between slaves and if they should be free or not

The South wanted the right to pursue escaped slaves in the Northern states.

Answer 2

As a means to have the Missouri Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave law was passed by Congress. It called for the return of all escaped slaves to the North be returned to their owners. Rewards and bounties were offered as part of the law to encourage compliance in the North.

Answer 3

U.S. laws of 1793 and 1850 (repealed in 1864) that provided for the seizure and return of runaway slaves. The 1793 law authorized a judge alone to decide the status of an alleged fugitive slave. Northern opposition led to enactment of state personal-liberty laws that entitled slaves to a jury trial and as early as 1810 prompted individuals to aid the http://www.answers.com/topic/underground-railroad. Increased pressure from the South brought passage of the second statute in 1850, as part of the http://www.answers.com/topic/compromise-of-1850. It imposed penalties on federal marshals who refused to enforce the law and on individuals who helped slaves to escape; fugitives could not testify on their own behalf, nor were they permitted a jury trial. Its severity led to increased interest in the abolition movement. Additional personal-liberty laws enacted by northern states to thwart the act were cited by South Carolina as justification for its http://www.answers.com/topic/secession in 1860.

U.S. laws of 1793 and 1850 (repealed in 1864) that provided for the seizure and return of runaway slaves. The 1793 law authorized a judge alone to decide the status of an alleged fugitive slave. Northern opposition led to enactment of state personal-liberty laws that entitled slaves to a jury trial and as early as 1810 prompted individuals to aid the Underground Railroad. Increased pressure from the South brought passage of the second statute in 1850, as part of the Compromise of 1850. It imposed penalties on federal marshals who refused to enforce the law and on individuals who helped slaves to escape; fugitives could not testify on their own behalf, nor were they permitted a jury trial. Its severity led to increased interest in the abolition movement. Additional personal-liberty laws enacted by northern states to thwart the act were cited by South Carolina as justification for its secession in 1860.

U.S. laws of 1793 and 1850 (repealed in 1864) that provided for the seizure and return of runaway slaves. The 1793 law authorized a judge alone to decide the status of an alleged fugitive slave. Northern opposition led to enactment of state personal-liberty laws that entitled slaves to a jury trial and as early as 1810 prompted individuals to aid the Underground Railroad. Increased pressure from the South brought passage of the second statute in 1850, as part of the Compromise of 1850. It imposed penalties on federal marshals who refused to enforce the law and on individuals who helped slaves to escape; fugitives could not testify on their own behalf, nor were they permitted a jury trial. Its severity led to increased interest in the abolition movement. Additional personal-liberty laws enacted by northern states to thwart the act were cited by South Carolina as justification for its secession in 1860s.

Answer 4

Free Black people were kidnapped and sold into slavery. That act brought legal lawlessness to areas with law abiding citizens. All a slave trader needed to do was claim that a black man was a run away slave and the sheriff had to arrest him and throw him in jail. The slave trader would then collect the reward. To see how the fugitive slave act worked, read the last section of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. It worked the same way in both the north and the south. Since some slaves were almost white, anyone with black curly hair faced the danger of being kidnapped and sold into slavery. This could be your neighbor or even you.

Answer 5

this U.S. act attempted to have slave owners recover their "property" in case the slave escaped to a Non-slave state. In this, this federal law would trump the state law and make it legal for slave owners to return slaves to their former masters.

Answer 6

The Fugitive Slave Act allowed slave owners to reclaim slaves who had escaped to the north.

Answer 7

Reinforced "by law" the right to seize and return to bondage slaves who had fled to free territory.

Answer 8

It was designed to require non-slave-owning states to apprehend, hold, and return runaway slaves to the slaveholding states.