Prior to the Compromise of 1850, a Fugitive Slave Clause had been written into the U.S. Constitution by our Founding Fathers. They included this clause because when they met at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, most of the Northern states had already abolished slavery. As such, Southern politicians feared that these Northern states would become safe havens for runaway enslaved people. Essentially, the Fugitive Slave Clause had stated that runaway enslaved people aren't free if they escape out of a slave state and into a free state. By the early 1790s, Southern politicians argued that the slave debate was dividing the nation between free and slave states. In response to these concerns, Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. This Act clarified in detail how the law was to be interpreted and put into practice. For example, it granted local governments the ability to impose penalties on anyone who provided aid to runaway enslaved people. Perhaps most importantly, it had also stated that slaveholders and their "agents" had the right to search for runaway enslaved people in states that had already abolished slavery. Immediately upon its passage, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 was met with widespread criticism in the North. A number of states in the North passed "Personal Liberty Laws" which provided suspected runaway enslaved people the right to a trial by jury. As time passed, Southern politicians grew frustrated with how the North was able to essentially ignore fugitive slave laws. In response, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was enacted which obliged citizens to aid in the capture of runaway enslaved people. In addition, it had also increased the fine and maximum time for those convicted of aiding runaway enslaved people.
THE FUGITIVE SLAVE ACTS
Fill in the Blank: Read the passage below and for every blank line, choose the term that best fits and completes that sentence. All of the terms are included below.
TERMS
interpreted
Clause
jail
abolished
Liberty
Congress
North
slave
local
ald
Convention
1850
slaveholders
free
1793
dividing
suspected
citizens
Southern
runaway
Prior to the Compromise of 1850, a Fugitive Slave.
had been written into the U.S.
Constitution by our Founding Father. They included this clause because when they met at the Constitutional
in 1787, most of the Northern states had already.
slavery.
As such, _
_ pollticians feared that these Northern states would become safe havens for
_enslaved people. Essentially, the Fugitive Slave Clause had stated that runaway
enslaved people aren't.
If they escape out of a
state and into a free state.
By the early 1790s, Southern politiclans argued that the slave debate was
nation between free and slavestates. In response to these concerns, _
passed the
Fugitive Slave Act of _
_This Act clarlfled in detall how the law was to be
and put into practice. For example, it granted
governments the ability to impose penalties on anyone who provided
- to runaway enslaved people. Perhaps most
importantly, it had also stated that
_and their "agents" had the right to search for
runaway enslaved people in states that had already abolished slavery.
Immedlately upon its passage, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 was met with widespread criticism
In the
provided_
_. A number of states in the North passed "Personal
_Laws" which
runaway enslaved people the right to a trial by jury. As time passed, Southern
politicians grew frustrated with how the North was able to essentially ignore fugitive slave laws. In response, the Fugitive Slave Act of
was enacted which obliged_
_ to aid in
the capture of runaway enslaved people. In addition, it had also increased the fine and maximum time for those convicted of alding runaway enslaved people.
1 answer