By: Macauley Lukenda

What Was The Fugitive What Was The Fugitive Slave Act?Slave Act?

The Fugitive Slave Act was part of the group of laws referred to as the "Compromise of 1850."

In this compromise, the antislavery advocates gained the admission of California as a free state, and the prohibition of slave-trading in the District of Columbia.

The slavery party received concessions with regard to slaveholding in Texas and the passage of this law. Passage of this law was so hated by abolitionists, however, that its existence played a role in the end of slavery a little more than a dozen years later.

What Was The Fugitive What Was The Fugitive Slave Act?Slave Act?

Cont.Cont.This law also spurred the continued operation of the fabled Undergound Railroad, a network of over 3,000 homes and other "stations" that helped escaping slaves travel from the southern slave-holding states to the northern states and Canada.

What Did The Act Consist What Did The Act Consist Of?Of?

Passed on September 18, 1859, by the United States, the fugitive slave act consisted of part of the Compromise of 1850 between Southern slave holding interests and Northern Free- Soldiers. This was one of the most talked about acts of the 1850 compromise and raised Northern fears of a 'slave power conspiracy'. It proclaimed that all runaway slaves be brought back to their original owners. Abolitionists nicknamed it the "Bloodhound Law" after the dogs that were used to track down and find runaway slaves.

What Problems Did this What Problems Did this Create?Create?

It created:Run away slavesUnhappy farmersLess money being made in the

southUnhappy people - all aroundThe unknown – fighting over slaves,

so are they free at the moment?The war

Who Was Involved?Who Was Involved?(slaves)(slaves)

African American leader Harriet Tubman, simply treated the law as just another complication in their activities.

General Benjamin Butler justified refusing to return runaway slaves in accordance to this law because the Union and the Confederacy were at war: the slaves could be confiscated and set free as contraband of war.

Passmore Williamson was a slave with his children and when he was stoped and told to go back he refused.

Who Was Involved?Who Was Involved?Cont. Cont.

Shadrach Minkins was an African American fugitive slave. Born in Norfolk, Virginia, he escaped from slavery in 1850 to settle in Boston, Massachusetts, where he became a waiter. Later that year, Congress enacted the Fugitive Slave Law, which allowed federal agents to seize escaped slaves living in free states such as Massachusetts and return them to their owners. United States marshals arrested Minkins on February 15, 1851; but he was rescued by members of the anti-slavery Boston Vigilance Committee, who used force to take him from the marshals.

How Long Did This Go On How Long Did This Go On For?For?

(War/upset-ness) (War/upset-ness) The war started in 1861 and ended in 1865 but the act wasn’t made up until 1850, which the complaining came before and after the Act was made. This also was a cause for the war.

BibliographyBibliography"Fugitive Slave Act - 1850." National

Center for Public Policy Research - A Conservative Organization. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. http://www.nationalcenter.org

"Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugitive