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Fugitive Slave Act Of 1793 Summary

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At the time that the novel takes place, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 was in full effect. It gave people and governments the right to apprehend runaway slaves and return them to their owners. The goal of this act was to keep slaves from fleeing and punishing those who tried to help the fugitives or interfere with their capture. Abolitionists from the North often aided fugitive slaves who were looking to become free. Many escaped slaves were fleeing to the North or to Canada to become free people, and the the act was put into place in order to please worried southern slave owners. The cultural attitudes of the South at this time are really what led to the creation of this legislation. Slaves were considered the property of their owner
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