In American history, the Fugitive Slave Acts were laws passed by Congress in 1793 and 1850 (and repealed in 1864) that allowed for the capture and return of runaway slaves who escaped from one state to another or into federal territory.
Passed on September 18, 1850 by Congress, The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was part of the Compromise of 1850. The act required that slaves be returned to their owners, even if they were in a free state. The act also made the federal government responsible for finding, returning, and trying escaped slaves.
