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What Was The Compromise Of 1850

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Although the Compromise of 1850 introduced several measures that would impact the nation and cause further tensions and division amongst pro-slavery and anti-slavery groups, the Fugitive Slave Act was the most controversial. The Fugitive Slave Act safeguarded slavery, not only in the states where slavery was allowed, but also imposed this same protection in non-slave states. While abolitionists regarded this as a violation of state sovereignty and a disparagement to free land, pro-slavery groups rejoiced in the strengthening of political and legal support of slavery throughout the United States. As law officials attempted to reclaim slaves who had escaped to freedom in the north, they were met with increasing resistance and violence.

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Use Your Own Knowledge to Assess How Far the Sources Support the Interpretation That Disagreements over Westward Expansion Were the Main Cause of Conflict Within the Union in the Years 1820-1854

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