sep 18, 1850 - Fugitive Slave Act

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It was part of the compromise of 1850. It required the US government to help slave owners in capturing runaway slaves. Slave owners had the right to reclaim slaves who ran away to free states.Northern abolitionists opposed this law. While the United States Congress debated the legislation, some legislators tried to insert protections into the bill for African Americans.Anyone caught hiding or assisting fugitive slaves faced stiff penalties.

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