Question

The Fugitive Slave Act (Law) of 1850 was passed by Congress in response to:


Northern laws that protected enslaved people.


The abolition of slavery by the federal government.


Harsh treatment of enslaved people by law enforcement.

Answer 1

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was passed by Congress in response to **Northern laws that protected enslaved people**. The act was part of the Compromise of 1850 and aimed to strengthen the enforcement of laws requiring the return of escaped enslaved people to their owners. It was enacted to appease Southern slaveholders who were frustrated by the inability to retrieve escaped enslaved individuals and by the existence of Northern personal liberty laws that obstructed their efforts.