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What is the Underground Railroad and how did it get its name?

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What is the Underground Railroad and how did it get its name?

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Race relations around the world have been tremendously damaged by the years of slavery. The Underground Railroad helped thousands of struggling slaves to freedom. African Americans that were being held captive were able to escape their enslavement through a series of secret networks that spread from the United States into the North and Canada. This is because Canada was regarded to as a safe place where a coloured person could be free from captivity. This provided slaves with a big opportunity that many were willing to take. The Underground Railroad came into effect before the Civil War had ended slavery, around 181. Although it was not an actual railroad or underground, they called it this to keep their system a secret. This network of routes held meeting places, passageways and safe houses that could be used by the slaves to aid them along their journey. Up until 1863, during the Civil War, the Underground Railroad ceased its works and joined with the Union effort to fight against confederacy.

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How did slaves escape using the Underground Railroad?

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How did slaves escape using the Underground Railroad?

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It is unsure exactly of how many fugitives were able to get away from slavery, but it is believed that around 30,000 to 100,000 slaves were set free by the help of the Underground Railroad. This system used multiple code words to stay hidden. “Conductors” were a combination of black and white abolitionists who assisted the slaves to freedom. The slaves themselves were called either “passengers” or “cargo” to remain in theme with the railroad concept. “Stations” was the name used for the places people could stop and safely rest. Guides were also along the way helping people find the right path to take and where their next station was at. Slaves were to travel at night time, to avoid the risk of being seen. Furthermore, each station was about 16-32 km apart, and most of the journey was to be made on foot, wagon, or boat as there were no actual trains to carry them along the way. Additionally, the routes were hard to follow on purpose. The reasoning behind this is they did not want pursuers to track down and find the slaves. When traveling, slaves had groups usually composed of anywhere from 3 to 25 people. Sadly, freedom was not achieved by every runaway slave. However, those who did escape went on to tell their stories about slavery. Addison White, Harriet Tubman and Henry Bibb were just a few of the many people who escaped using the Underground Railroad.

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What were the dangers that came along with traveling the Underground Railroad?

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What were the dangers that came along with traveling the Underground Railroad?

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The Underground Railroad was a long dangerous path to follow, but many people were willing to risk their lives to be free from slavery. With the journey being long and slaves having little energy from no food or water, it was difficult for many to endure. Additionally, they had miniscule protection from slave catchers hunting them down. There was a law in 1850 called the Fugitive Slave Law that allowed and encouraged the capture of fugitives because they were considered to be stolen property. If they happen to unfortunately get caught, a number of things may happen to them. The slaves who had been captured may be sold back into slavery, tortured, or even killed. On top of that, the slaves had to be weary of wild animals who were looking for a meal. This path to freedom was treacherous in many ways. Being that the fugitives were traveling on foot with improper footwear, it made the hazardous terrain even more difficult to travel on. Another issue the runaway slaves faced were the harsh weather conditions. Injuries and illnesses were not uncommon on the Underground Railroad either. Despite these risks, brave slaves took on this path as a way to live a life without slavery.

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Main Websites:
https://www.cbc.ca/history/EPCONTENTSE1EP8CH1PA3LE.html
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https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/underground-railroad#section_7
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https://www.eiu.edu/eiutps/underground_railroad.php
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http://www.blackhistorycanada.com/events.php?themeid=21&id=6

Picture 1 (Title Page):
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/03/the-secret-history-of-the-underground-railroad/384966/
Picture 2:
http://purehistory.org/underground-railroad-timeline/
Picture 3:
https://www.zanesvilleart.org/zma-calendar/picturing-the-underground-railroad-family-day-in-putnam
Picture 4:
http://www.harriet-tubman.org/underground-railroad/
Picture 5:
https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/underground-railroad

Music:
Stayin Alive by Bee Gees
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_izvAbhExY
Boulevard of Broken Dreams By Green Day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Soa3gO7tL-c

Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv7YhVKFqbQ
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZStWWVqkh0

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Introduction to the Underground Railroad

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Introduction to the Underground Railroad

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The Underground Railroad came to be a significant part of our nation's history. Out of all of the slavery stories out there, I chose to do this one in particular because of how intricate it seemed.  We learned a little about the Underground Railroad back in grade 7, and my interest has only grown since. The bravery and struggles that these people had to undergo is hard to imagine. There was an immense amount of effort that went into saving people's lives from the horrible reality that was slavery, and I wanted to learn more about how it all occurred. For this project I will be exploring the topic further with three questions that especially intrigue me.