What did the Fugitive Slave Act require?

The Fugitive Slave Act required that runaway slaves must be returned to their owners, thereby reinforcing the institution of slavery within border states and free states. Enacted as part of the Compromise of 1850, the law imposed heavy penalties on anyone who aided runaway slaves or obstructed their capture, making it a legal obligation for citizens to assist in the return of escaped enslaved people. This act heightened tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions and played a significant role in the events leading up to the Civil War by effectively mandating that free states participate in the enforcement of slavery, regardless of their own laws or sentiments regarding the practice.

The other options do not accurately reflect the provisions of the Fugitive Slave Act; for example, the act did not require all enslaved individuals to be freed, nor did it abolish the slave trade throughout the United States. Additionally, states were not permitted to simply ignore the law, as the Fugitive Slave Act was designed to be enforceable regardless of state legislation.