What impact did the Fugitive Slave Act have during the time of the Compromise of 1850?

The Fugitive Slave Act, part of the Compromise of 1850, aimed to strengthen the ability of slave owners to reclaim escaped slaves. It introduced stricter penalties for individuals who assisted escaping slaves and mandated that government officials and members of the public help to capture them. The law significantly heightened the stakes for both escaped slaves and those who might aid them, making it a powerful tool in the enforcement of slavery in the United States.

One of the ramifications of the Act was that it heightened tensions between the North and South. While it was intended to appease Southern slaveholders and maintain the Union, it also galvanized opposition in the North and encouraged many to join the abolitionist movement. However, the direct impact of the Act, as stated in the answer, was the establishment of stricter penalties which made the act of escaping and assisting escapees significantly riskier. This led to increased fear but also motivated more individuals to actively resist the law, resulting in fervent debates over slavery in the years leading up to the Civil War.