Civil War Quiz: What Do You Know About the Fugitive Slave Act?

Q#1 – Was the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act the first law of its kind in the United States?

Q#2 – What actions did the States identified as “Free States” take regarding what actions to take when runaway slaves were discovered in their State?

Q#3 – Before the passage of the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act, what rulings by the Missouri Supreme Court circumvented Federal laws regarding the return of enslaved people?

Q#4 – Why were the rulings by the Missouri Supreme Court regarding the return of enslaved ruled as being Constitutional?

Q#5 – Why in 1847 and 1849 did planters from Bourbon and Boone counties, Kentucky, lead raids into Cass County in the state of Michigan?

Q#6 – What was the general reaction by Southerners regarding how the “Free States” were dealing with slaves in their states?

Q#7 – What was the name of the politician who drafted the language for Fugitive Slave Act of 1850,?

Q#8 – What penalties were imposed on those found guilty of not arresting a suspected runaway slave?

Q#9 – What were the penalties imposed by the Act on any one who aided a slave in escaping slavery?

Q#10 – In 1850, what legislative action did the State of Vermont implement that rendered the federal 1850 Fugitive Slave Act effectively unenforceable in Vermont?

Q#11 – What is “Jury Nullification” and how was it used regarding criminal cases related to the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act?

Q#12 – What was the first state to declare the Fugitive Slave Act unconstitutional and how did the US Supreme court rule?

Q#13 – In 1855, what law did the Michigan legislature pass that dealt with the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act?

Q#14 – Why did many Northern businessmen support the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act?

Q#15 – When was the Fugitive Slave Act formally repealed?