1. The Underground Railroad
“The Underground Railroad was neither underground nor a railroad, but a secret
network of safe houses and antislavery activists - black, white, and Native American - who helped slaves escape to freedom.”

3. 1. What was the Underground Railroad?
2. Who was Harriet Tubman, and why is this former slave important? 
3. About how many slaves did Harriet lead to freedom?
4. Why did so many slaves want to go to Canada and not to the north of USA where there was no slavery?
5. What challenges did the freed slaves face in Canada?
6. A slave from Louisiana using the Underground Railroad to escape would travel through which states?

4. Winter, Jeanette.(1989). Follow the Drinking Gourd. New York;
Dragonfly Books

5. RESOURCES ABOUT The Underground Railroad

6. More RESOURCES ABOUT The Underground Railroad

7. Slaves were forbidden to read and write, they had to communicate their feelings in ways that would not be obvious to their masters. One way was through song.
Music was a way of communication

8. GO DOWN, MOSES
Let my people go!

9. Follow the Drinking Gourd
Winter, Jeanette.(1989). Follow the Drinking Gourd. New York; Dragonfly Books

10. Follow the drinking gourd, Follow the drinking gourd, For the old man is waiting for to carry you to freedom If you follow the drinking gourd.
The riverbank will make a very good road, The dead trees show you the way. Left foot, peg foot traveling on, Following the drinking gourd.
The river ends between two hills, Follow the drinking gourd, There's another river on the other side, Follow the drinking gourd.
When the great big river meets the little river, Follow the drinking gourd. For the old man is waiting for to carry you to freedom If you follow the drinking gourd.

11. Follow the drinking gourd. Follow the drinking gourd
Follow the drinking gourd! Follow the drinking gourd. For the old man is awaiting for to carry you to freedom If you follow the drinking gourd.
When the sun comes back and the first quail calls, Follow the drinking gourd, For the old man is awaiting for to carry you to freedom If you follow the drinking gourd.
The riverbank makes a very good road, The dead trees will show you the way, Left foot, peg foot traveling on, Following the drinking gourd.
The river ends between two hills, Follow the drinking gourd, There's another river on the other side, Follow the drinking gourd.
Where the great big river meets the little river, Follow the drinking gourd, The old man is awaiting for to carry you to freedom If you follow the drinking gourd

12. 1. What theme did many of the songs have in common? 
2. What purpose did some of the slave songs serve?
3. Read the lyrics to Follow the Drinking Gourd and Go Down Moses.  What is the significance of the words in these songs? 

13. Resources
Conklin, Joe, Wayne Elliott, Kris Myers, and Lucky Abu. (1999). Suggested games, poem, songs and activities for for elementary and secondary students and teachers. Monmouth University, NJ. Retrieved on June 2007 from  
Encyclopedia: Lincoln, Abraham. (2004). The History Channel website. Retrieved on June 10, 2007 from
Shull, Carol. ( ). Aboard the Underground Railroad National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, in cooperation with the National Conference of State Historic. Retrieved on June 10, 2007 from
Winter, Jeanette.(1989). Follow the Drinking Gourd. New York;
Dragonfly Books
Copyright © by Janette Gonzalez
Reference Librarian
Library Media Specialist