The Fugitive Slave Act

397 Words2 Pages
The Fugitive Slave Act was an act that was in included in the Compromise of 1850. This act declared that all slaves that run away must be returned to their slave owners. There were many sides to this act and many fights between the North and the South about it. The Compromise of 1850 was a bill that focused on slavery. It said that there is free states, the North, and there are slave states, the South. It also deled with territory issues. Texas became its own union and was called Republic of Texas. The North was all against the Fugitive Slave Act, they thought it was unfair and unjust. They did not like the idea of the slaves being treated as property. For most states in the North it was illegal to own slaves. The North tried to put a stop to slavery because they did not want it to expand into the West and become a problem with the economy. The North did not need slaves for their agriculture. On the other hand, the South was all for slavery. They depended on slaves for their agriculture and without them they would not be able to make a living. The South viewed slaves as property and not as people. They thought that The Fugitive Slave Act was only fair because they had bought them for money and that they should be returned. A typical day for a slave would be to wake up at sunrise and work in the fields. At about eight they would be dismissed and would have a small breakfast. Then they would go back to work and stop again for lunch at noon. For the rest of the day they would so what their overseer told them to do. Most men were earthier planters or drivers. They also became blacksmiths, painters, and shoemakers. The women had many important jobs like, learning to weave, sewing, cooking, cleaning, and nursing. I personally think that The Fugitive Slave act was very unfair to all of the slaves. If the Slave owners were ever mad about how much money they

More about The Fugitive Slave Act

Open Document