in 1850 as part of the Compromise of 1850. This law required all citizens to assist in the capture and return of escaped slaves, and imposed heavy penalties on those who aided fugitive slaves. While this law was meant to appease southern states, it was deeply unpopular in the North and led to increased tensions over the issue of slavery. The agreement on California's status as a free state was a compromise between northern and southern interests, but ultimately failed to address the underlying causes of the growing divide between the North and South over the issue of slavery.
