Question

Write three to five sentences describing the Fugitive Slave Act and why it was important to the Compromise of 1850.(4 points)

Short Answer Rubric (4 points)
Points Awarded Criteria
4
The answer is very clear.

The answer is fully supported by details.

There may be a few errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics. Errors do not interfere with meaning.

3
The answer is mostly clear.

The answer is supported by mostly relevant details.

There are a few errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics. Errors do not interfere with meaning.

2
The answer is somewhat clear.

Details are weak or not related.

There are some errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Errors interfere with meaning.

1
The answer is not clear.

There are few or no supporting details.

There are many errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Errors interfere with meaning.

0 The question is not answered.
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Answer 1

The Fugitive Slave Act, enacted in 1850, was a critical component of the Compromise of 1850, which aimed to ease tensions between slave and free states. This law mandated that escaped slaves be returned to their masters even if they were found in free states, thus reinforcing the institution of slavery and the rights of slaveholders. Its importance lay in the fact that it sought to appease Southern states by ensuring their property rights over enslaved individuals while simultaneously gaining support for the admission of California as a free state. However, it intensified the moral conflict over slavery in the North, leading to increased abolitionist sentiment and resistance to the enforcement of the law.