Finally, in 1854, the first state high court declared the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 to be unconstitutional. The state of Wisconsin ruled in favor of abolitionist Sherman Booth, who had helped slave Joshua Glover escape to safety. Unfortunately, the United States Supreme Court eventually overturned this ruling, declaring the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 to be constitutional and upholding the law. This political move frustrated the abolitionists, even those who considered themselves to be less extreme.
Famous abolitionist Harriet Tubman worked hard to make the Underground Railroad a successful way for fugitive slaves to find their way to freedom. Canada was encouraged as a safe haven for escaping slaves, and once they crossed the borders, they were welcomed as free citizens, making this the primary destination for those trying to break free from the bonds of slavery and imprisonment. Those opposed to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 were forced to confront their beliefs and decide whether or not to follow the law and report or detain those escaping slavery.
As the Civil War approached, more and more Northern citizens began to oppose the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and further assist those escaping to find freedom. Because the South decided to ‘secede’ from the union, the North became even more committed to helping slaves find freedom, and it seemed to become easier for those citizens to break the law to help the slaves.
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 is seen as one of the pivotal events that led up to the Civil War, which began in 1865. By strengthening the earlier Fugitive Slave Act of 1793, the later laws further pressured citizens to take sides regarding the issue of slavery. Tensions between the North and South quickly increased, leading to the eventual secession of the South and the ensuing Civil War.
Though initially considered to be a ‘compromise’ and intended to lessen the tensions between the North and South, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 ultimately served as a vehicle to fight against slavery. Common citizens rebelled against their supposed responsibilities to return slaves to their masters, and resisted the punishments handed down. By polarizing the nation in such a way, the Fugitive Slave Act became a powerful tool in the years and months leading up to the Civil War, by enlightening many citizens (both Northern and Southern) and helped to form future laws that eliminated slavery and protected the freedoms of all citizens
