The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is set around 1850, about fifteen years before the outbreak of the American Civil War. During this time, there were a lot of conflicting views in America about slavery (as we've discussed). Wrapped up in these conflicting views were laws passed that typically benefited the south. Among these laws, was the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. This act created problems for people in the North and ended up being ineffective. To understand the world Huck and Jim live in, read the following article and follow the instructions for highlighting.