Many of these slaves never fully achieved their freedom (“Fugitive Slave Law”). The law did not give the slaves a right to a trial by a jury, and forbade them to have the ability to testify on their own behalf if they ever received the opportunity to try their case in court (“Fugitive Slave Law’). The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 was passed after resistance to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 in order to enforce stricter consequences (“Fugitive Slave Acts”). It followed similar guidelines to the act passed in 1793, but Americans refused to obey it. Therefore, Congress passed a law with an incentive and stricter regulations in order to keep abolitionists from helping the fugitives that were wanted in the South (“Fugitive Slave Acts”). Although, The stricter terms stated in the modified law only strengthened the resistance of the Abolitionists because of their frustration. Also, This Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 contributed to the tension between the North and the South causing the North to oppose the law and accuse Southern slaveowners of receiving more money from commissioners (“Fugitive Slave Acts”). Overall, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 led to many disputes and sparked many changes in abolitionist movements such as the Underground …show more content…
Many people thought the law was cruel and cynical, and caused people to turn to violence (“Abolitionist Movement”). Many efforts of resistance turned into violent riots due to the difficulty of legally achieving freedom for slaves (“Fugitive Slave Acts”). Both black and white people were willing to break the law because of the growing frustration and abolitionist feelings (Gorrell 70). The question of slavery was a controversial topic between the North and South and sparked a lot of criticism and disagreement fueling tensions between the two regions (“Fugitive Slave Acts”). Northerners believed that the law was “turning their states into a stalking ground for bounty hunters, and many argued the law [...] legalized kidnapping” (“Fugitive Slave Acts”). The formation of many resistance groups became more common including the strengthening of the Underground Railroad as well as many states such as Vermont and Wisconsin, wanting to nullify the law altogether (“Fugitive Slave Acts”). Acting out against the rules stated in the law sparked hostility between the North and South since the abolitionist feelings, as well as free states, were primarily in the North while the South preferred the sale of slaves in order to have free labor for their plantations (“Fugitive Slave Law”). The frustration over these rules led to an increase in literature,