What was the purpose of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850?(1 point)

Responses

To provide financial compensation to slave owners
To provide financial compensation to slave owners

To grant freedom to all slaves in the United States
To grant freedom to all slaves in the United States

To abolish the institution of slavery entirely
To abolish the institution of slavery entirely

To encourage the return of escaped slaves to their owners

To encourage the return of escaped slaves to their owners

The purpose of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was to encourage the return of escaped slaves to their owners.

The purpose of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was to encourage the return of escaped slaves to their owners. To determine the correct answer of the multiple-choice question, one must understand the historical context of the Fugitive Slave Act and its implications. The Fugitive Slave Act was part of the Compromise of 1850, a series of legislative measures aimed at resolving disputes between slave and free states. Under this act, escaped slaves were considered to be property and were to be returned to their enslavers, regardless of the laws in place in the state or territory where they sought refuge. The act also allowed slaveholders to enlist the help of local law enforcement officials and ordinary citizens in capturing and returning escaped slaves. Therefore, the purpose of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was to encourage the return of escaped slaves to their owners, making the correct answer to the question "To encourage the return of escaped slaves to their owners."