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The Underground Railroad served as a symbolic network of paths that escaped slaves used to seek assistance as they fled from the enslaved South to the free North and Canada. The importance stems from the challenges and sacrifices endured by individuals of all races to support the success of the Underground Railroad. From the 17th century onwards, slaves arriving at southern plantations and farms sought to escape from their circumstances because these individuals often endured unbearable conditions, such as the risk of being separated from their family members through sale, the constant fear of being sold to a new master, experiencing changes in their status on the plantations, being forced to work excessively, and being subjected to severe punishments by the overseer. The term "Underground Railroad" is said to have originated from a frustrated slavecatcher who claimed that the fugitives he was pursuing had vanished as completely and suddenly as if they had discovered an underground road, although there is no definitive evidence of when or how the name came into use. It was common practice for slaves to run away for short periods and then return within days, but this behavior also set the stage for more permanent escapes. Over time, predetermined escape routes, safe houses, and organized actions were established to aid the fugitives. The Underground Railroad network was highly organized, encompassing routes spanning numerous states from the South to Canada. Key escape corridors included routes from Kentucky and Virginia into Ohio, and from there north, as well as routes up the Eastern Seaboard through New England.

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Depiction of the many available routes depending on area.

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The Magee House, circa 1855, a safe house in Canesto, New York.

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One of the many different safe houses provided for runaways.

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Fugitive Slaves Escape from the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

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Wood engraving from William Still's The Underground Railroad, 1872 depicting how fugitives traveled.

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Harriet Tubman escaped from Maryland in 1849 and embarked on a series of 19 trips to southern states, successfully leading more than 300 slaves to freedom. Earned the nickname "the Moses of her people."

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"A Bold Stroke for Freedom." In this illustration from The Underground Railroad by William Still

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Visual representation of runaway fleeing from slave catchers.

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Sheet music cover illustrated with a portrait of prominent black abolitionist Frederick Douglass as a runaway slave.

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Frederick Douglass another prominent figure in the Underground Railroad.