The impact of the Fugitive Slave Act in U.S. history was profound and controversial. Enacted in 1850 as part of the Compromise of 1850, it mandated that escaped slaves be returned to their owners, even if they reached free states. This law intensified the national debate over slavery, as it forced ordinary citizens to participate in its enforcement, leading to increased resistance from abolitionists and communities in the North. Many slaves sought refuge in Canada to escape the law, and its passage galvanized activism against slavery, ultimately contributing to the tensions that sparked the Civil War.