• British Territory (British North America, The West

Indies, Britain)• United States

Life in the mid-1800s

August 28, 1833: British Parliament Abolishes SlaverySlavery was abolished throughout the British colonies by an Imperial Act which became effective August 1, 1834. The act formally freed nearly 800,000 slaves but there were probably fewer than 50 slaves in British North America by that time.

Meanwhile…in the United States -

Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 Passed by US Congress Slave hunters were allowed to capture an

escapee in any (free state or slave state) territory or state and were required only to confirm orally before a state or federal judge that the person was a runaway

Any United States Marshall who did not arrest an alleged runaway and who refused to return a runaway slave would pay a hefty penalty of $1,000.

Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 People suspected of being a runaway

slave could be arrested without warrant and turned over to a claimant on nothing more than his sworn testimony of ownership. A suspected black slave could not ask for a jury trial nor testify on his or her behalf.

Any person aiding a runaway slave by providing shelter, food or any other form of assistance was liable to six months' imprisonment and a $500 fine an expensive penalty in those days.

Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 Those officers capturing a fugitive

slave were entitled to a fee and this encouraged some officers to kidnap free Negroes and sell them to slave-owners.

If an escaped slave was sighted, he or she should be apprehended and turned in to the authorities for deportation back to the "rightful" owner down south.

Similar to map on page 159 in your text

Fugitive Slave Law Video clips

– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr__edZ3KO4

– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCFrObXq3xw

Textbook page 163-164

Intent & Impact of the F.S.A (1850)

What do you think the lawmakers intended the impact would be on the population in North America?

What do you think the actual impact on the population in North America was?

Impact of the F.S.A of 1850 Impact that Law-makers hoped it

would have: –diminish the incentive for slaves to

attempt escape–Slaves would realise that even if

they managed to escape from their plantation, they could still be caught and returned

–FSA would reassure the states in which slavery was still happening

–Blow to UGR co-operators & abolitionists

Impact of Fugitive Slave Act Opposition Created:

– Opposed in many Northern states; several reacted by enacting legislation to protect free black Americans and fugitive slaves. The 'personal liberty laws' compelled a slave

catcher to furnish corroborative proof that his captive was a fugitive and frequently accorded the accused the rights to trial by jury and appeal.

Laws in some states made it easier to extradite a runaway if his or her slave status were confirmed

– People felt even more strongly that they needed to support the Underground Railroad

– People of African descent moved in large numbers to Canada (often via the Underground Railroad)

Settlers of the West Vancouver/BC

– In California in 1858, governor said African Americans would have to pay a fee to live there

– Governor Douglas (in Vancouver) said they could buy land at a fair price, vote, have full citizenship after 7 years

– People of African descent became leaders in BC – in business and politics. Mifflin Gibbs (first Black elected politician) elected to Victoria City Council in 1867)