Final answer:
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was designed to enforce slavery by requiring the capture and return of escaped slaves.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was designed to bolster the institution of slavery in the United States by compelling northern states to actively support the capture and return of escaped slaves to their owners in the South. It was part of the Compromise of 1850, which aimed at maintaining a delicate balance between free and slave states. The act made it a federal crime to assist runaway slaves and denied them the right to a trial by jury.
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