Detrimental Effects Of Slavery

Nowadays the general consensus is that slavery is immoral and wrong. All people should be viewed as equal, and discriminating against a person on the basis of race, forcing them to work and not get paid, is an awful thing. However, until 1865, slavery was still legal in the United States. It is self-contradictory to own slaves in the “land of the free”, but unfortunately that was the case. One reason that slavery was finally abolished was the growing awareness of the detrimental effects of slavery. This was, in part sparked by the First Fugitive Slave Act of 1793. The First Fugitive Slave Act was an act that permitted and even enforced the return of runaway slaves, even in territories that were “free”, and against slavery. A legal process

It was a series of safe spots where runaway slaves could receive shelter and nourishment, and be hidden from anyone who was searching for them. There they would obtain the necessary means and assistance required to reach the next spot, where they would continue until Canada or a free State, where they would be safe. The formation of the Underground Railroad and the obvious flouting of the Fugitive Slave act was the beginning of the movement to eradicate slavery, and what Congress did next only stoked the flame of rebellion. They passed another Fugitive Slave Act, but this time it was much more

The compromise of 1850 was a series of 5 acts that would be set into motion, including things such as solving disputes over land and so forth. Another part of the Compromise was to let California into the Union as a free State, meaning that slavery was banned there. However since there were so many pro-slavery politicians and people, Congress once again passed a Fugitive Slave Act, this one being the most controversial act in the Compromise. It said that citizens were required by law to assist in the capture and return of runaway slaves, it gave private lawyers the right to judge if a person was an escaped slave or not, lawyers who were paid twice as much for proclaiming the person guilty. It was now illegal for a federal officer to not apprehend a runaway slave, even in States where slavery was banned, and black people still had next to no rights. There were less loopholes for States to pass Personal Liberty Laws, and the whole thing was meant to be more strongly enforced than the other one had been. Another reason it was passed besides trying to create a balance of laws passed for pro and anti slavery people was that the Slave owners were tired of the lax enforcement of the previous Fugitive Slave Act. They thought that nobody should allow their slaves to escape without