Question

Before the Guns: The Roads to Civil War - Part 1 - American Civil War Anniversary Series

What was the difference between the original and new Fugitive Slave Law?
simple explantion

Answer 1

The original Fugitive Slave Law was part of the Compromise of 1793, which allowed slave owners to recover their escaped slaves but required them to prove their ownership in a court. It also placed some responsibility on local governments to assist in the capture of runaway slaves.

The new Fugitive Slave Law, enacted in 1850 as part of the Compromise of 1850, was much stricter. It mandated that all citizens, including those in free states, were required to assist in the capture of runaway slaves and imposed heavy penalties on anyone who helped slaves escape. Additionally, the law allowed slave catchers to take captured individuals before a special commissioner without a jury trial, making it easier to return escaped slaves to slavery and lessening legal protections for them.

In summary:
- **Original Law (1793)**: Required proof of ownership in court; local assistance was encouraged.
- **New Law (1850)**: Mandatory help from all citizens, heavy penalties for assistance to fugitives, no jury trials for captured individuals.