Final answer:
The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 compelled citizens to aid in the capture of escaped slaves and imposed penalties for aiding fugitives. It likely influenced Mary Walker to become a more active abolitionist in opposition to the severe and unjust conditions of the law.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 was part of the Compromise of 1850 and significantly altered the way runaway slaves were to be handled. This federal law enforced the belief that escaped slaves must be returned to their owners, even if they were found in a free state. The law made it mandatory for all citizens, including those in the North, to assist in the capture of fugitive slaves. Moreover, it authorized U.S. Marshals to deputize any person to aid in the arrest and return of escaped slaves. Under the terms of the law, those who opposed the capture or aid of escaped slaves could face severe fines and prison sentences, and commissioners deciding these cases would receive a higher fee if they ruled in favor of the slaveholder over the accused fugitive.
Mary Walker would likely have become emboldened as an abolitionist due to her rejection of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850. The law, by demanding northern complicity in the perpetuation of slavery, increased northern hostility to the institution and drew many formerly indifferent citizens into the abolitionist cause. The oppressive and unjust nature of the Fugitive Slave Law, which also provided financial incentives for officials to favor slaveholders, may have contributed to the decision of people like Mary Walker to become more active in helping escaped slaves and resisting the law.
Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is "It mandated the return of escaped slaves to their owners; Mary Walker became a prominent abolitionist.