Question

How did abolitionists and slaves resist the Fugitive Slave Act?

a) By supporting the enforcement of the act
b) Through violent uprisings
c) By aiding escaped slaves and promoting civil disobedience
d) Ignoring the existence of the act

Answer 1

Abolitionists and slaves resisted the Fugitive Slave Act by aiding escaped slaves, promoting civil disobedience, and supporting the Underground Railroad, with figures like Harriet Tubman playing central roles.

Step-by-step explanation:

Abolitionists and slaves resisted the Fugitive Slave Act primarily through aiding escaped slaves, promoting civil disobedience, and forming networks such as the Underground Railroad. These actions included passing personal liberty laws, forming vigilance committees, and staging mass protests like the one in response to the arrest of Anthony Burns. Some abolitionists, such as Frederick Douglass, even believed that violent resistance was necessary. Notable individuals like Harriet Tubman risked their lives to escort slaves to freedom, while violent uprisings also played a part in the resistance. Communities in the North banded together to protect runaways and denied federal officials the use of state facilities, while also confronting slave catchers directly.

Answer 2

Abolitionists and slaves resisted the Fugitive Slave Act by aiding escaped slaves, promoting civil disobedience, and forming the Underground Railroad. They engaged in non-violent acts like courthouse confrontations and enacted laws to hinder federal actions but did not primarily resort to violent uprisings.

Step-by-step explanation:

Abolitionists and slaves resisted the Fugitive Slave Act primarily through aiding escaped slaves and promoting civil disobedience. In northern communities, both blacks and whites united to protect runaways, forming vigilance committees and enacting 'personal liberty laws' to limit the assistance federal officials could receive at a state level. The Underground Railroad was a critical network in this resistance, with figures such as Harriet Tubman playing pivotal roles in assisting slaves to freedom, despite the risks of punishment under the law.

In addition to these acts of defiance, sometimes resistance took on a more direct form. Abolitionists orchestrated public demonstrations and courthouse confrontations to protect individuals like Anthony Burns. While some advocated for violent means to oppose the Fugitive Slave Act, most of the resistance activities were non-violent, focusing on evasion, legal challenges, and public advocacy against slave power.