Fugitive Slave Law: APUSH Definition History of the Fugitive Slave Law Impact of the Fugitive Slave Law Key Provisions of the Fugitive Slave Law Controversy Surrounding the Fugitive Slave Law The Fugitive Slave Law and the Civil War Tables

The Fugitive Slave Law was a United States federal law that required the return of enslaved people who escaped to free states or territories. The law was passed in 1850 as part of the Compromise of 1850, which aimed to resolve tensions between the North and South over slavery.

The first Fugitive Slave Law was enacted in 1793, following the ratification of the US Constitution. This law gave the federal government authority to capture and return enslaved people who escaped to other states. However, this law was largely ineffective due to resistance from free states and hostility from enslaved people’s communities.

The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 was a more stringent and controversial measure. It required all citizens, including those in free states, to assist in the capture and return of escaped slaves. The law imposed harsh penalties on anyone who helped or harbored a fugitive, and made it easier for slave owners to reclaim their property.

The Fugitive Slave Law had a significant impact on the antebellum period. It heightened tensions between the North and South, eroded support for slavery in the North, and strengthened the movement for the abolition of slavery. The law also led to a rise in violence against abolitionists and free Black people, and it contributed to the migration of escaped slaves to Canada and other countries.

• Required all citizens to assist in the capture and return of escaped slaves
• Imposed harsh penalties on anyone who helped or harbored a fugitive
• Made it easier for slave owners to reclaim their property
• Allowed federal commissioners to issue warrants for the arrest of suspected fugitives without a jury trial
• Denied fugitives the right to testify or present evidence on their own behalf in court

The Fugitive Slave Law was highly controversial and faced widespread resistance from free states and abolitionists. Northern states passed personal liberty laws that limited the enforcement of the federal law within their borders. Abolitionists organized underground railroads to help enslaved people escape to freedom.

The Fugitive Slave Law played a major role in the lead-up to the Civil War. It deepened the divide between the North and South, undermined the authority of the federal government, and contributed to the growth of the abolitionist movement. The law also served as a catalyst for the secession of Southern states from the Union and the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.

Table 1: Number of Fugitive Slave Law Arrests and Returns

Table 2: Fugitive Slave Law Enforcement by State

Table 3: Impact of Fugitive Slave Law on Enslaved People

Table 4: Resistance to Fugitive Slave Law