Underground+Railroad

The Underground Railroad, a vast network of people who helped fugitive slaves escape to the North and to Canada, was not run by any single organization or person. Rather, it consisted of many individuals -- many whites but predominently black -- who knew only of the local efforts to aid fugitives and not of the overall operation. Still, it effectively moved hundreds of slaves northward each year -- according to one estimate, the South lost 100,000 slaves between 1810 and 1850.

An organized system to assist runaway slaves seems to have begun towards the end of the 18th century. In 1786 George Washington complained about how one of his runaway slaves was helped by a "society of Quakers, formed for such purposes." The system grew, and around 1831 it was dubbed "The Underground Railroad," after the then emerging steam railroads. The system even used terms used in railroading: the homes and businesses where fugitives would rest and eat were called "stations" and "depots" and were run by "stationmasters," those who contributed money or goods were "stockholders," and the "conductor" was responsible for moving fugitives from one station to the next.

For the slave, running away to the North was anything but easy. The first step was to escape from the slaveholder. For many slaves, this meant relying on his or her own resources. Sometimes a "conductor," posing as a slave, would enter a plantation and then guide the runaways northward. The fugitives would move at night. They would generally travel between 10 and 20 miles to the next station, where they would rest and eat, hiding in barns and other out-of-the-way places. While they waited, a message would be sent to the next station to alert its stationmaster.

The fugitives would also travel by train and boat -- conveyances that sometimes had to be paid for. Money was also needed to improve the appearance of the runaways -- a black man, woman, or child in tattered clothes would invariably attract suspicious eyes. This money was donated by individuals and also raised by various groups, including vigilance committees.

Vigilance committees sprang up in the larger towns and cities of the North, most prominently in New York, Philadelphia, and Boston. In addition to soliciting money, the organizations provided food, lodging and money, and helped the fugitives settle into a community by helping them find jobs and providing letters of recommendation.

The Underground Railroad had many notable participants, including John Fairfield in Ohio, the son of a slaveholding family, who made many daring rescues, Levi Coffin, a Quaker who assisted more than 3,000 slaves, and Harriet Tubman, who made 19 trips into the South and escorted over 300 slaves to freedom.**Facts about the Underground Railroad** The Underground Railroad refers to the effort to assist blacks held in bondage in North America to escape from slavery. While most runaways began their journey unaided, each decade in which slavery was legal in the United States saw an increase in the public perception of an underground network and in the number of persons willing to give aid to the runaway. Although divided, the abolitionist movement was successful in expanding the informal network known as the Underground Railroad and in publicizing it.

The origin of the term "underground railroad" cannot be precisely determined. What is known is that both those who aided escapees from slavery and those who were outraged by loss of slave property began to refer to runaways as part of an "underground railroad" by 1840. >
 * The Underground Railroad was not underground. Because escaping slaves and the people who helped them were technically breaking the law, they had to stay out of sight. They went “underground” in terms of concealing their actions. Sometimes they even hid in unusual places.

Harriet Tubman is the one who started the Underground Railroad, She help a lot of people get to freedom.Her and many others did too. She escaped slavery and she was so generous that she came back to save her family. John Quincy Adams was a President of the United States. He represented the African in case that went all the way to court. He wanted to make slaves go free. The Coffin Family was also important to the Underground Railroad Stationmaster. Levi helped the Underground Railroad by making a place by the Newport. There were a lot of people who were important to the Underground Railroad. A couple are Harriet Tubman, Levi Coffin, and Abraham Lincoln. Harriet Tubman helped runaways escape to freedom. She was a slave too. Levi Coffin was a white man who opened a school for slaves in North Carolina. Abraham Lincoln was their candidate for President (Republican). Places that were important to the slaves The first important place to go for freedom was Pennsylvania .A lot of slaves went there. Harriet Tubman went to Pennsylvania. Canada was important spot because when the slaves where in the United States the masters still get them. Once the slaves got to Canada they were as free as can be. Some important spot to hide was in a house of the Quakers. Once the master went out to find you that would be a perfect spot.[It was close to freedom]. IMPORTANT STUFF. Canada Canada was the place of freedom. Once slaves entered Canada they were free. Slave owners no longer could catch them. Nebraska and Kansas Territory Nebraska and Kansas Territory were north of the Missouri compromise line, so they would be free territories. New Haven,Connecticut New Haven, Connecticut was a place where Africans were taken as prisoners. There were a lot of people who were important to the Underground Railroad. A couple are Harriet Tubman, Levi Coffin, and Abraham Lincoln. Harriet Tubman helped runaways escape to freedom. She was a slave too. Levi Coffin was a white man who opened a school for slaves in North Carolina. Abraham Lincoln was their candidate for President (Republican). If the slaves would start to sing the master would hit them. Music was important to the slaves. Since the slaves weren’t aloud to sing, they would to sing in there soul. There was this guy his name was Henry Box Brown. He got that name because he wanted to go to freedom. He went into a box and sent himself to freedom. He went to Philadelphia from Richmond, Virginia.. We have learned a lot to day. We learned that people help other people get to freedom. Now I hope you pace it on to other people. The Underground Railroad ran along two main routes. Slaves from the southern United States took the eastern line. Philadelphia became an important port for boat loads of run aways. The Underground Railroad had the most slaves pass through between 1830-1860. The Spaniards bought slaves kidnapped from Africa. People wanted to keep slaves and when Aberaham Lincoln freed slaves and in the south they were very mad. Abrham Lincoln was the president that officially freed all of the slaves. The UnderGround RailRoad isnt a real rail road its a Trail not oon a map that people along the way use there house as house to give slaves a place to stop and rest. People like Harriet Tubman helped enslaved people escape through the Underground Railroad.. The sad part is that the white or even black people who helped enslaved people get free is if they got caught hiding in a house or barn not only would the Black people get in trouble so would the owners of the house or barn.It was so horrible. The Underground Railroad refers to the effort to assist blacks held in bondage in North America to escape from slavery. While most runaways began their journey unaided, each decade in which slavery was legal in the United States saw an increase in the public perception of an underground network and in the number of persons willing to give aid to the runaway. Although divided, the abolitionist movement was successful in expanding the informal network known as the Underground Railroad and in publicizing it. [|The **Underground Railroad**: Escape From Slavery Student Activity **...**] (go to goole type in underground railroad, Then click on what is wrote in purple before this)