What effect did the Fugitive Slave Act have on tensions between North and South?

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 significantly heightened tensions between the North and South by enforcing stricter measures for the capturing and returning of escaped enslaved individuals. This legislation mandated that all citizens assist in the capture of fugitives, and it denied those accused of being runaway slaves the right to a jury trial. As a result, many in the North who previously may have been indifferent to slavery were confronted with the realities of the institution and the legal obligation to participate in its enforcement. This incited a strong opposition and mobilization among abolitionists and ordinary citizens against the Act, reinforcing their resolve to oppose slavery.

Consequently, the Act not only intensified the sectional conflict over the issue of slavery but also led to increased activism and the formation of networks such as the Underground Railroad to aid escaped enslaved individuals. This legislation is a pivotal example of how legal measures could exacerbate divisions and contribute to the tensions that ultimately led to the Civil War.