Question

how did federal and state laws regarding fugitives from slavery compare?
a. both laws encouraged citizen participation in capturing fugitives from slavery.
b. both laws improved coordination between states in apprehending fugitives from slavery.
c. both laws tasked only qualified government officials with the pursuit of fugitives from slavery.
d. both laws decreased tensions between the states over the issue of fugitives from slavery.
all persons who may apprehend and confine in jail, or deliver to the owner, any runaway slave... shall be entitled to recover and receive from the owner of such slave the sum of three dollars, where the owner resides in the county in which such slave may be apprehended, and five dollars if he reside beyond the limits of such county... it shall not be lawful for any free person of color... to migrate into this state.
— from \an act concerning slaves and free persons of color\ passed by the north carolina legislature in 1831
commissioners... shall have... authority to take and remove such enslaved fugitives from service or labor... to the state or territory from which such persons may have escaped or fled... all good citizens are hereby commanded to aid and assist in the prompt and efficient execution of this law, whenever their services may be required.
— from \an act respecting fugitives from justice\ passed by the united states congress in 1850

Explanation:

The 1850 Fugitive Slave Act required citizens to assist in capturing fugitives, increasing tensions. The 1831 North Carolina law restricted free people of color, not related to fugitive - slave cooperation. So neither law improved coordination (B wrong). The 1850 act involved citizen participation (A wrong). The 1831 law was about free people of color, not just government officials (C wrong). Both laws worsened sectional tensions over slavery.

Answer:

D. Both laws decreased tensions between the states over the issue of fugitives from slavery.