Made in 1793, the Fugitive Slave Acts were made for runaway slaves. These laws allowed government officials to capture and bring the runaway back into slavery. Also,the people who aided the slaves in their escape were given punishment for helping the runaways escape. However, in 1850, the law was added to, giving even harsher punishments for runaways and people who helped in the escape. Many Northern states wanted this law gone, since the North was full of Americans against slavery and free Africans. By a Congressional act in 1864, both Fugitive Slave Acts were repealed.