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The Underground Railroads
The Underground Railroads
Was it underground?
Did it have cars?
Did it run on train tracks?
What was the Underground Railroad?
Scenes from slavery
• Safe houses- houses where runaways could hide safely, find shelter, food ,
clothing and help on their way north toward freedom.
• Station master- person at the safe house who would help the escaping slaves
Signals
• A lantern on a hitching post means a safe
house or station house
• Special knocks
• Quilts
(basket pattern= begin gathering
supplies and tools for escape)
Transportation
• On foot
• By wagon
Henry “Box” Brown, a slave, had himself shipped
from Richmond to Philadelphia in a wooden box.
How did the slaves escape • Routes and systems
to the north? (conductors, stations, and
station masters) who
helped slaves get to the
north to freedom.
• Escaping slaves and their
helpers were breaking the
law so they had to stay out
of sight or get caught! They
went “underground,” hiding
their actions. Some hid in
unusual places.
• Note the secret compartment
of the cupboard in this house.
The top cupboard is closed and
the bottom one is open to
reveal a hidden room!
Hiding escaped slaves
US Map 1700’s-1800’s
What dangers did they face?
One famous African American during that time:
Harriet Tubman and passengers to freedom
Who was Harriet Tubman?
• http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/99/ra
ilroad/kids.html
• http://www.proteacher.com/cgi-
bin/outsidesite.cgi?id=17444&external=http://www
.nationalgeographic.com/features/99/railroad/j1.ht
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