The Underground Railroad UNDERGROUND RAILROAD UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

The Underground Railroad Quilts secrets to a successful escape

Use of Quilts slaves used a quilt code to navigate the Underground Railroad slaves used a quilt code to navigate the Underground Railroad quilts with patterns contained secret messages that helped direct slaves to freedom quilts with patterns contained secret messages that helped direct slaves to freedom

How Did The Quilts Work? a plantation seamstress would sew a sampler quilt containing the ten quilt patterns a plantation seamstress would sew a sampler quilt containing the ten quilt patterns slaves would use the sampler to memorize the code slaves would use the sampler to memorize the code the seamstress sewed ten quilts, each composed of one of the code's patterns, and hung the quilts in full view one at a time, allowing the slaves to remember their meanings the seamstress sewed ten quilts, each composed of one of the code's patterns, and hung the quilts in full view one at a time, allowing the slaves to remember their meanings

How Did The Quilts Work? Quilts

A Sampler Quilt

What Were the Patterns?

Monkey Wrench the monkey wrench told slaves to prepare the tools they would need for the long journey, including mental and spiritual tools

Wagon Wheel Load the wagon wheel load told slaves to board the wagon to begin the escape

Bear’s Paw bear’s paw told slaves to take a mountain trail, out of view following the bear tracks would lead you to water and food

Crossroads crossroads referred to Cleveland, Ohio this destination offered several routes to freedom it also signified a point where a person’s life would change

Log Cabin log cabin was a secret symbol that could be drawn on the ground it meant that a person was safe to talk to it also advised seeking shelter

Shoofly shoofly identified a friendly guide who is nearby and can help

Bowtie the bowtie told slaves that it was necessary to travel in disguise or to change from the clothing of a slave to those of a person of higher status

Flying Geese flying geese meant to follow the direction of the flying geese as they migrated north in the spring most slaves escaped during the spring; along the way, the flying geese could be used as a guide to find water, food and places to rest

Drunkard's Path drunkard’s path told slaves to avoid walking in a straight line a zig-zag path helped avoid pursuers in the area

Star the star meant to follow the North Star it was a reference to the Big Dipper constellation

More Quilts

More Quilts II

More Quilts III

Now… YOU tell me what these mean!