The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was a law that required the return of escaped enslaved people to their enslavers and imposed penalties on anyone aiding in their escape. This act intensified the existing tensions between the Northern and Southern states by mandating that free states assist in the capture and return of fugitives, undermining local laws that offered protection to escaping individuals. It played a crucial role in the operations of the Underground Railroad, as many abolitionists risked their lives to defy this law and help enslaved people reach freedom.
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