The Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was actually an above-ground series of escape routes for slaves traveling from the South to the North trying to gain their freedom. Slaves traveled by foot, wagons, boats, and trains. Slave runaways would usually travel by the light of night and hide during the day in places known as stations. These were safe houses owned by abolitionists.

Abolitionist Abolition-The movement to end slavery Slaves would hide in various places. Abolitionist – a person who believed and worked for the abolishment of slavery.

Henry Box Brown

Henry Box Brown Henry Brown convinced Samuel A. Smith to pack him in a box and ship him to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Henry Box Brown’s trip to Philadelphia was grueling, in tight quarters. Brown was set free in Philadelphia and eventually made his way to Boston, where he helped fellow escapees on the Underground Railroad.

Would you take the risk??? If the slaves were caught, they were sold or beaten with a whip; sometimes they were lynched.

Conductors Conductors were the people who led the runaways to freedom.

Harriett Tubman

Harriet Tubman was born a slave in Maryland. When she learned that her owner was going to sell her, she decided to escape. Tubman made 19 journeys from the South to the North as a Conductor on the Underground Railroad.

Harriet Tubman Southern Plantation owners offered $40,000 for the capture of Harriet Tubman. Plantation Owners also offered rewards for the return of runaway slaves.

Sojourner Truth Sojourner Truth was born a slave in New York, and she fled to live with Quakers. Truth spoke for abolition and women’s rights.

William Lloyd Garrison Abolitionist Published an antislavery newspaper The Liberator

Jermain Loguen Abolitionist and Religious Leader Station master of Underground Railroad Estimated 1500 Fugitive slaves passed through his home

Mary Ann Shadd Educated black children in free and slave states Fled to Canada Spoke out against Slavery Educated fugitive slave children in Canada

Lucretia Mott Lucretia and her husband boycotted all goods produced by slave labor. Abolitionist Women’s Rights Spoke at Quaker meetings against slavery Attended World Antislavery Convention in London in 1840

Fredrick Douglass Abolitionist Speaker Published an autobiography

William Still Member of the Pennsylvania Antislavery Society Established a number of safe houses

Susan B. Anthony Fought for women’s suffrage in the 20th Century She worked for temperance and anti-slavery movements

John Whittier American Abolitionist Poet “Quaker Poet” of freedom

Jonathan Walker Jonathan Walker became a national hero in 1844 when he was tried and sentenced as a slave stealer following an attempt to assist seven runaway slaves find freedom.  He was branded on the right hand with the letters SS signifying "Slave Stealer".

Josiah Henson Josiah Henson was one of the first slaves to write his memoirs after escaping to freedom. Harriet Beecher Stowe acknowledged that Henson's writings were the inspiration for her 1852 novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin

Routes to Freedom

THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

Quilts During the time of the Underground Railroad fugitive slaves would use quilts as a means of communication. Quilts were used by conductors to help fugitive slaves flee the South and arrive safely in the North.

Quilt Usage in the Underground Railroad This Quilt represented the NORTH STAR

This quilt was the symbol for the wagon wheel Quilts This quilt was the symbol for the wagon wheel

This Quilt symbolized a log cabin

This quilt symbolized a crossroads

Spirituals

Follow the Drinking Gourd Chorus: Follow the Drinking Gourd For the old man is a-waiting for to carry you to freedom The riverbank makes a very good road, The dead trees will show you the way Left foot, peg foot, traveling on The river ends between two hills Follow the Drinking Gourd There’s another river on the other side When the great big river meets the little river For the old man is a-waiting for to carry you to freedom If you follow the Drinking Gourd

Spirituals Spirituals like “Wade in the Water”, “The Gospel Train” and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” directly refer to the Underground Railroad. Spirituals gradually evolved to serve a variety of purposes in the fight for freedom: 1) Singing as an expression of values 2) Singing as a source of inspiration or motivation 3) Singing as an expression of protest 4) Singing as a communication tool

Task The year is 1854. You are on the Underground Railroad, as a conductor or as a passenger (your choice). Create a diary or journal entry which chronicles your journey. -Where are you from? -Where are you headed? -What problems are you facing? -What actions are you taking?

The Underground Railroad