3. Politicians Involved: Henry Clay John C. Calhoun Daniel Webster Millard Fillmore Stephen Douglas

4. Problem California apply to become a free state Balance of power in Senate would be upset Slavery was permitted in Washington D.C. South wanted stronger fugitive slave laws New Mexico and Texas border was under dispute

5. Key Elements: 1. California would be admitted as a free state 2. New Mexico would have no restrictions on slavery 3. New Mexico and Texas border dispute would be resolved in favor of New Mexico 4. Slave trade but not slavery would be abolished in Washington D.C. 5. Push for stronger fugitive slave laws

6. Features of the Final Compromise: Douglas divided the plan into 5 parts to be voted on individually Congressmen would only vote on items they supported 5 separate bills passed – they contained all of the elements of Clay’s original proposal

9. Click the Speaker button to replay the audio. Poster warning African Americans

10. Click the Speaker button to replay the audio. Anthony Burns

11. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. I. The Fugitive Slave Act 1.It required all citizens to help capture and return enslaved African Americans who had run away.  2. People who helped runaways could be fined or imprisoned. Poster warning African Americans

12. 3. People in the South believed the law would force Northerners to recognize the rights of the Southerners.  4. Slaveholders step up their efforts to catch runaway slaves.  a. tried to capture runaways who lived in freedom for years  b. sometimes seized African Americans who were not runaways and forced them into slavery. I. The Fugitive Slave Act (cont.)

13. 5. Northern Resistance.  a. Underground Railroad.  b. Anti-slavery groups  c. People contributed funds to buy African Americans freedom  d. Northern juries refused to convict those accused of breaking fugitive slave laws.. I. The Fugitive Slave Act (cont.)

16. Imagine you are living in a northern state in 1851, and a runaway slave comes to you asking for help. Would you have helped him knowing you could be arrested under the Fugitive Slave Act, or would you follow the law and turn him in to be returned to slavery? Support your explanation in a detailed paragraph.

18. —Many Northerners chose to disobey this law. They participated in the Underground Railroad, they collected money to help buy freedom for slaves, and they refused to convict African Americans being accused of breaking the Fugitive Slave Law. —Many Southerners thought they would gain assistance from the North with this law. They increased their efforts to return former slaves to their masters. Sometimes free African Americans living in the North were captured and brought to the South as slaves.