Question
Why did some northerners support personal liberty laws?
The Fugitive Slave Act paid judges more if they ruled against slave owners.
The “Christiana Riot” showed that slave owners would violently resist the law.
They believed runaway slaves should be returned to their owners in the South.
They resented federal intervention in the affairs of independent states.
The Fugitive Slave Act paid judges more if they ruled against slave owners.
The “Christiana Riot” showed that slave owners would violently resist the law.
They believed runaway slaves should be returned to their owners in the South.
They resented federal intervention in the affairs of independent states.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Some northerners supported personal liberty laws primarily because they resented federal intervention in the affairs of independent states. These laws were enacted in response to the Fugitive Slave Act, which mandated that runaway slaves be returned to their owners and imposed penalties on those who aided them. Many northerners viewed this federal law as an overreach of government power and an infringement on states' rights. By passing personal liberty laws, northern states sought to assert their autonomy and protect the rights of free black individuals and runaway slaves, often providing legal protections that countered the mandates of the Fugitive Slave Act.