USA HISTORY

SECTIONAL CRISIS 1850 1861

TENSION OVER SLAVERY IN THE 1850S

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Which law required officials in all states and territories to assist with the return of enslaved people who had escaped to freedom or pay a substantial fine?
A
the fugitive slave law
B
the runaway slave act
C
the escaped slave provision
D
the underground railroad law
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -A new, stricter Fugitive Slave Law: Congress passed a strict fugitive slave law, which required officials in all states and territories to assist with the return of enslaved people who had escaped to freedom or pay a substantial fine.

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: -In 1842, the U.S. Supreme Court in Prigg v. Pennsylvania found the Fugitive Slave Law of 1793 constitutional. However, enforcement of the law was the responsibility of the federal government, held the court, not the states.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 was immediately met with a firestorm of criticism. Northerners bristled at the idea of turning their states into a stalking ground for bounty hunters, and many argued the law was tantamount to legalized kidnapping.

Detailed explanation-5: -The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 was part of the Compromise of 1850. This law required the United States government to actively assist slave holders in recapturing freedom seekers. Under the United States Constitution, slave holders had the right to reclaim slaves who ran away to free states.

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