History of North America

Why did the fugitive slave act force many runaway slaves up to Canada rather than staying north?

The Fugitive Slave Act did not force many runaway slaves up to Canada rather than staying in the North. Before the US Civil War, Canada was the preferred destination for escaped slaves because it was an independent country outside the reach of the US government, so the Fugitive Slave Act did not play a significant role in influencing enslaved people's decisions.