Fugitive Slaves and the Importance of the Resistance at Christiana

The events at Christiana on September 11, 1851 were not strictly a local event. Edward Gorsuch's attempt to capture his fugitive slaves had roots in the legal support provided by the recently enacted Fugitive Slave Law which was part of the larger Compromise of 1850. This controversial compromise was the latest of several attempts to prevent the union of North and South from splitting over sectional pressures mostly related to slavery. The following links lead to a more detailed description of the Fugitive Slave Law and how it was related to the events at Christiana. Also included below are direct links to some of the resources that are used within this component of the larger Christiana website.