Slavery had been tacitly enshrined in the US Constitution through provisions such as Article I, Section 2, Clause 3, commonly known as the 3/5 compromise. Due to the restrictions of Section 9, Clause 1, Congress was unable to pass an Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves until 1807. Fugitive slave laws (derived from the Fugitive Slave Clause of the Constitution—Article IV, Section 2, Clause 3) were passed by Congress in both 1793 and 1850, guaranteeing the right of a slaveholder to recover an escaped slave anywhere within the US. Slave owners, who viewed enslaved people as property, ensured that it became a federal crime to aid or assist those who had fled slavery or to interfere with their capture. By that time, slavery, which almost exclusively targeted Black people, had become the most critical and contentious political issue in the Antebellum United States, repeatedly sparking crises and conflicts. Among these were the Missouri Compromise, the Compromise of 1850, the infamous Dred Scott decision, and John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry.
Slavery had been tacitly enshrined in the US Constitution through provisions such as Article I Section 2 Clause 3 commonly known as the 3/5 compromise Due to the restrictions of Section 9 Clause 1 Congress was unable to pass an Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves until 1807 Fugitive slave laws (derived from the Fugitive Slave Clause of the Constitution—Article IV Section 2 Clause 3) were passed by Congress in both 1793 and 1850 guaranteeing the right of a slaveholder to recover an escaped slave anywhere within the US Slave owners who viewed enslaved people as property ensured that it became a federal crime to aid or assist those who had fled slavery or to interfere with their capture By that time slavery which almost exclusively targeted Black people had become the most critical and contentious political issue in the Antebellum United States repeatedly sparking crises and conflicts Among these were the Missouri Compromise the Compromise of 1850 the infamous Dred Scott decision and John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry