What effect did the Fugitive Slave Act have? Select 2.
(1 point)
Responses
It convinced Northerners that slavery was immoral.
It convinced Northerners that slavery was immoral.
It convinced Southerners that Northerners would help return slaves.
It convinced Southerners that Northerners would help return slaves.
It convinced slaves that they were free to travel to the territories.
It convinced slaves that they were free to travel to the territories.
It convinced the federal government that they issue of slavery could be peacefully resolved.
The Fugitive Slave Act had two effects:
1. It convinced Northerners that slavery was immoral: The Act required citizens to assist in the capture and return of escaped slaves. This law led to widespread protests and moral outrage in the North, as many individuals saw it as an infringement on personal liberty and an endorsement of slavery. The Act intensified opposition to slavery and galvanized the abolitionist movement.
2. It convinced Southerners that Northerners would help return slaves: The Fugitive Slave Act was intended to strengthen the enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Clause of the Constitution and ensure the return of runaway slaves. Southerners believed that the Act would compel Northerners to actively participate in the recapture of escaped slaves. This belief further deepened the divide between North and South, as it confirmed the suspicion among Southerners that Northerners would not support their institution of slavery.