#26 1849- Harriet Tubman Pioneers: “THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD” BY: Meher Hingorani

The Railroad (PLEASE CLICK INSIDE THE BOX BUT NOT ON THE WORDS) Relationship with other Abolitionism Events What was the Underground Railroad? Significance in American History Background BIBLIOGRAPHY

Harriet Tubman & the Origins of the Railroad Background The Fugitive Slave Act Time Period <Back to the RAILROAD

Harriet Tubman and the Origins of the Railroad Harriet Tubman was born Araminta Harriet Ross, between 1820-25 in Maryland, to slave parents. She was struck on the head once, leading to her having seizures and “episodes” She married John Tubman in 1844 One night, in 1849, fearing that she would be sold, Harriet ran away. She followed the North Star until she reached Philadelphia Eventually, she returned to get her sister, then her brother and 2 men, and so on. She devised several techniques to get in and out of the South, and even carried a gun, so if fugitives wanted to return, she told them “You’ll be free or die” She was the first and one of the main conductors of the Underground Railroad. She freed over 300 slaves, and at one point, there was a $40,000 bounty on her head. <Back to BACKGROUND

Time Period: Abolitionism(1815-52) Railroad’s relationship with other Abolitionism Events Time Period: Abolitionism(1815-52) Abolitionism was a time period that called for the end of slavery People demanded that slaves get the same rights, and several slaves escaped to become free The American Anti-Slavery society was formed in 1833 Abolitionists were known for helping slaves escape through the Underground Railroad, and ignoring the Fugitive Slave Acts of 1793 and 1850 Political Cartoon <Back to BACKGROUND

Political Cartoon This political cartoon depicts slaves being caught and beaten, and forced to work, as a result of the Fugitive Slave Law. According to the Fugitive Slave Act, law enforcement officers could arrest colored persons by claiming they were fugitive slaves, and return them to slavery in the South. <Back to Time Period

What was the Underground Railroad? Map of the Railroad What was the Underground Railroad? The Underground Railroad was a series of paths from the South to the North, which slaves could escape through, to gain their freedom. They were not literally underground, however. Along these paths were several stations to stop and rest, and wait, since the slaves could only travel by night. Sometimes groups of slaves were led by “conductors”, or they followed the North Star <Back to the RAILROAD Code words & Communication

Map of the Underground Railroad This map depicts several of the paths used by fugitive slaves to escape the South and slavery. Most of the paths lead to the North, and some lead to Canada. A few lead to the Bahamas, and some travel across the sea, like from Charleston to New York <Back to What is the Underground Railroad?

Code Words and Communication The conductors and fugitives who traveled the Underground railroad used code words to communicate, so they wouldn’t be found out by the slave owners or police. Here are some of the code words and their translations: In addition, quilts were hung at safe houses to communicate, and people sang spirituals with coded meanings as well. Bundles of wood, parcel Expected Fugitives Conductor Person who transported slaves Freedom Train, Gospel Train The Underground Railroad Station; station-master A safe house; owner of the safe-house Agent Person who coordinated/plotted escapes <Back to What is the Underground Railroad? FULL LIST OF PHRASES AND TRANSLATIONS

The Fugitive Slave Act(s) There were 2 Fugitive Slave Acts, one in 1793, and one in 1850. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 declared that a person who was hiding an escaped slave could be fined $500, and slave hunters could capture an escaped slave as long as they orally confirmed that they had caught a runaway, in front of a judge. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 said that slave hunters could force people to help them capture a runaway, and if the people refused to cooperate, they were punished/fined. The Fugitive Slave Acts angered the North and Abolitionists greatly. FULL Fugitive Slave Bill <Back to BACKGROUND

Significance in American History The Underground Railroad has a large significance in American History. Without it, several thousand slaves may have never gained their freedom. Some may go as far as to say that without the Railroad, there would not have been as many soldiers for the North, and the South may have won the Civil War. Slavery could still be around in the U.S. today, if it weren’t for Harriet Tubman and the other notable conductors of the Underground Railroad The South and the North could even be separate countries. <Back to the RAILROAD

Relationship with other Abolitionism events The Underground Railroad was related to several other events that took place during the Abolitionist time period, and was considered to have contributed towards the Civil War. The American Anti-Slavery Society were a large supporter of the railroad and also fought to free slaves and keep rights for escaped slaves who’d earned freedom. “The North Star” by Frederick Douglass was an anti-slavery newspaper which focused on anti-slavery politics and abolitionist issues “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe describes the tale of a Christian slave named Uncle Tom, as he is sold and bought, and how the slaves and people around him sacrifice to be able to escape to Canada, or to save their children. <Back to the RAILROAD <Back to TIME PERIOD

Bibliography Secondary Sources Primary Sources -“Abolitionism.” u-s-History.com, www.u-s-history.com/pages/h477.html. “-Harriet Tubman.” Pbs.org, PBS ONLINE, www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1535.html. -Historical Society. “What Was the Underground Railroad?” Harriet-Tubman.org, 2017, www.harriet-tubman.org/underground-railroad/. - The Biography.com Editors. “Harriet Tubman.” Biography.com, A&E Television Networks, 2 Aug. 2017, www.biography.com/people /harriet-tubman-9511430. -Wikipedia contributors. "The North Star (anti-slavery newspaper)." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 26 Aug. 2017. Web. -Wikipedia contributors. "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 30 Jul. 2017. Web. -ushistory.org. “The Underground Railroad.” U.S. History Online Textbook, www.ushistory.org/us/28c.asp. Primary Sources -“Civil War. Effects of the Fugitive Slave Law, Cartoon from Newspaper,” Digital Public Library of America,https://dp.la/item/a6677ba Bc0f3f1e769ab473e1db98a50. -“Fugitive Slave Bill,” Digital Public Library of America,http://dp.la/item/6b8f1395c43d9a18 e26a21407ba7d260. -Siegel, Michael, “Underground Railroad 19th Century,” Digital Public Library of America, http://dp.la/item/2cd98351ed1c0a457e03a9e f7d3a6da5. <Back to the RAILROAD