USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Enacted by Congress in 1793, the first Fugitive Slave Act authorized local governments to seize and return escapees to their owners and imposed penalties on anyone who aided in their flight.

Detailed explanation-2: -Passed on September 18, 1850 by Congress, The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was part of the Compromise of 1850. The act required that slaves be returned to their owners, even if they were in a free state. The act also made the federal government responsible for finding, returning, and trying escaped slaves.

Detailed explanation-3: -Northern State Resistance At first there was widespread hostility against the Fugitive Slave Law. But then public opinion in the North changed to support it. The law was part of the Compromise of 1850 that many Northerners believed was the “final settlement” of the slavery issue to keep the Union together.

Detailed explanation-4: -In response to the weakening of the original Fugitive Slave Act, Democratic Senator James M. Mason of Virginia drafted the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which penalized officials who did not arrest someone allegedly escaping from slavery, and made them liable to a fine of $1, 000 (equivalent to $32, 570 in 2021).

Detailed explanation-5: -One of the most powerful ways an enslaved person could resist was to run away. Running away carried heavy risks. If runaways were caught, they would be physically punished, usually by whipping, and might be made to wear chains or handcuffs to prevent them from running again.