Second Fugitive Slave Law
At a glance:
- Series: Great Events from History: North American Series
- Categories: Government and Politics, Social Issues, Reform, and Protest
- Subcategories: Slavery, Slaves, Laws, Acts, Legislation, Treaties, Agreements, Negotiations
- Curriculum: African American History, American History 1816-1855
- Geographical Location: Washington, D.C.
- Date: September 18, 1850
Article abstract: A law aimed at making the rendition of fugitive slaves from Northern states easier for Southern slaveholders exacerbates tensions between North and South.
Summary of Event
The United States Congress passed the Second Fugitive Slave Law in September, 1850, as part of the Compromise of 1850. This compromise, its supporters hoped, would provide a permanent settlement of the long-standing dispute between the North and the South over slavery. The dispute had reached crisis proportions in 1848, after the United States forcefully acquired from...
[The entire page is 1545 words long]
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