What effect did the fugitive Slave act have?

Answer 1

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 had a devastating effect on African Americans living in the United States. The act allowed for the capture and return of any escaped slaves, regardless of where they were found. This meant that even free African Americans living in the North were at risk of being captured and sold into slavery. The act also made it illegal for anyone to help a runaway slave, and imposed harsh penalties on those who did. The act was a major factor in the growing tensions between the North and South that eventually led to the Civil War.