Abolition and The Underground Railroad

1. Abolition and The Underground Railroad By: Phoebe T., Katrina Y., Fan T., and Erik L.

2. Background Information/Descriptions • -In 1800’s, the abolition movement grew steadily in the north • -Slaves could not have made it through the underground railroad without the help of many brave people on the way. • -The underground railroad was a network of routes that helped slaves escape to free northern states and Canada. • -Abolitionists were people who worked to end slavery. • -Not many people were willing to help runaway slaves because it was dangerous work. Those who were caught helping runaway slaves were severely punished. • -It became even more risky when the Fugitive slave act of 1850 was passed. Anyone who was caught helping a slave was subject to $1000 fine or 6 months in prison.

3. Important Leaders William Llyod Garrison- Frederick Douglas- Harriet Tubman- -He was born into slavery, he was taught to read and write(realized this knowledge would be his.”pathway from slavery to freedom”) -He became a ship caulker but was not allowed to keep any of his earnings fo he ran away, and borowed the identitiy of a free black sailor. He went to NY -He was a big reader of The Liberator and Garisson sponsored him as a lecturor for the American Anti- Slavery Society. -He then began his own anti slavery newspaper, called the North Star, after the stay that gudied runaway slaves to freedsom • -Was one of the most famous conductors of the Underground Railroad • Born into slavery, she suffered a head injury when a plantation owerseer hit her with a lead weight(damaged brain causing to lose consciousness several times in a day) • she became strong enough to perform tasks that men could not do • Her ownder died and she made a break for freedom and succedded in reaching Phili • After the Fugitive Slave Act was passed, she became a conductor. (made 19 trips altogether and helped 300 slaves • Later became a spaker for abolition • -He was the most radical white abolitionist and was active in religious movements in Mass. • -He started his own paper, The Liberator to deliver an uncompromising message: immediate emancipation- the freeing of slaves, with no payment to slaveholders. • -White abolitionists responded to his ideas, which caused his to find the NE Anti- Slavery Society followed by the national American Anti-Slavery Society • -More core black support but whites opposed him who were abolitionists

4. -Formed anti slavery associations -Published newspapers and books about the evils of slavery -Fought against the fugitive slave law Accomplishments • Underground railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses used by slaves to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists (people who wanted to end slavery) • Estimated that from 1810-1850 100,000 slaves had escaped via the railroad • Harriet Tubman, a freed slave, made 19 trips on the underground railroad including her own, and helped free over 300 people and she is wanted for $30,000 • Quaker abolitionists Levi and Catherine Coffin helped more than 3000 slaves escape to freedom • William still, the father of the underground railroad, helped hundreds of slaves escape and would house them in his home in Philadelphia

5. Jacksonian Democracy While Jackson was in presidency, the problem of slavery was there.Abolition groups fought for the rights of African Americans and other minority groups that were enslaved, primarily to the south. Only several Northern states recognized African Americans as human being, and granted them rights under the new forming of the Jacksonian Democracy era. The Underground Railroad system, conducted by abolitionists, allowed a passageway for escaped slaves to travel from the South to the North, where they were entitled to their rights. • Jacksonian Democracy was the idea of greater democracy for the common man. This means the average human being (male) was given their rights to humanity, and were able to participate in political activities.

6. Multiple Choice Questions • 1) Which of the following people would most be influenced by the Underground Railroad? • A. Andrew Jackson • B. A black slave • C. William Lloyd Garrison • D. All of the above • E. None of the above

7. Multiple Choice Questions • 2) Who is the author of The Underground Railroad? • A. Harriet Tubman • B. Levi Coffin • C. William Still • D. Frederick Douglass • E. John Smith

8. Multiple Choice Questions • 3) Which English colonial settlement first passed abolition laws on slavery? • A. Massachusetts Bay • B. Quakers • C. Jamestown • D. Plymouth • E. Roanoke

9. Multiple Choice Questions • 4) How many trips did Harriet Tubman make to escort slaves to freedom? • A. 1 • B. 13 • C. 19 • D. 29 • E. 37

10. Multiple Choice Questions • 5) Frederick Douglas did all of the following except what? • A. Secretly taught himself to read and write • B. Regularly attended abolitionist meetings • C. Died of a massive heart attack • D. Escaped slavery • E. Scorned women’s rights

11. Multiple Choice Question • 6) How many slaves escaped to the North through the Underground railroad from 1810-1850? • A) Approximately 100 • B) Approximately 1,000 • C) Approximately 10,000 • D) Approximately 100,000 • E) Approximately 550,790