how did northern and southern responses to the fugitive slave law affect their relationship?
The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 was a controversial piece of legislation that required the capture and return of runaway slaves to their owners. It had a significant impact on the relationship between the Northern and Southern states, worsening the already tense divide between them.
1. Northern Response: In the North, the Fugitive Slave Law was met with widespread opposition and resistance. Many Northerners viewed the law as an infringement upon their personal liberties and condemned it as morally wrong. They considered it a violation of their own states' rights and believed it contradicted the principles of freedom and equality. As a result, individuals and communities in the North often refused to cooperate with enforcing the law. They formed vigilance committees to protect and help fugitive slaves escape to Canada, which further enraged Southern slaveholders.
2. Southern Response: In contrast, Southern slaveholders overwhelmingly supported the Fugitive Slave Law. They saw it as necessary to protect their property rights and to maintain the institution of slavery. Slaveholders believed that escaped slaves were their rightful property and demanded that the Northern states uphold the law and return the runaways. The refusal of Northerners to abide by the law outraged Southerners, who saw it as a breach of the Constitutional compact. They argued that the Union depended on the cooperation of all states in enforcing all federal laws, including those regarding slavery.
Overall, the responses to the Fugitive Slave Law deepened the divide between the North and the South. The increasing tension and animosity over the issue of slavery contributed to the eventual outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861. The North's opposition to the Fugitive Slave Law strengthened the anti-slavery movement and led to a shift in public opinion, eventually leading to the abolition of slavery in the United States.