UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

PROCESS

• Slaves escaped to freedom at night with the help of abolitionists
• Abolitionists were also known as conductors
• Runaway slaves were known as "cargo."
• Slaves knew which houses were stations because they had a lantern in front of the house

ROUTES

• Slaves were able to move to and from stations with the help of the night and stations being disguised as businesses
• Many slaves escaped to the Northern states, while others went to Mexico
• Slaves escaping North went up the eastern borders and through Midwest states

ESCAPING

• Around 100,000 slaves escaped by the railroad
• Many slaves tried to escape a second time if caught and succeeded
• Escapes were made successful because slaveowners did not have guards to watch slaves at night
• Slaveowners also did not know the codes that slaves used

CONSEQUENCES

• Slave owners posted rewards for capturing the runaways
• Slaves could be flogged, jailed, sold back to slavery, or even killed if caught
• If a slave was caught and sold back to slavery they would usually be moved further south
• If a conductor was caught assisting a slave, they were severely fined

ASSISTING ESCAPEES

• Many different people helped in the process of escaping slavery
• A large number of people consisted of African Americans or escaped slaves
• Quakers helped in freeing slaves because they felt the slavery was wrong and people shouldn't be considered as propery

PEOPLE INVOLVED

• Harriet Tubman-escaped slave that turned into a conductor freeing 300 slaves
• William Still-was a little boy when he helped his first slave escape
• Levi Coffin-allowed his home to be used as one of the stations for runaway slaves
• John Fairfield-known for helping 28 slaves escape thru a funeral procession