DID YOU KNOW

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DID YOU KNOW?

• The Underground Railroad was a secret system of
  houses and people who helped slaves escape to
  freedom.
  
• Thousands of slaves used the network to escape to
  the northern states, Canada, Texas, Mexico, and
  the Caribbean.
  
• The Underground Railroad was mainly used between
  1830 to 1860.

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Why Did Slaves Want to Escape?

• They were forced to work long, hard hours in the
  field.
  
• They were treated poorly by their owners and
  often beaten.
  
• The desire to be free was the greatest reason
  most slaves tried to escape.

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How Did Slaves Escape?

• Some slaves hid on wagons.
• Some slaves escaped by boats.
• Many slaves walked hundreds of miles to reach
  freedom.
  
• Sometimes slaves used disguises so they wouldnt
  be caught.
  

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Underground Railroad Code Words

• Stations homes and businesses where fugitive
  slaves rested and ate
  
• Station masters people who ran the stations
• Conductors- moved fugitives from one station to
  the next
  
• Packages/freight slaves
• Stockholders person who contributed money or
  goods

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Fugitive Slave Law

• This law was approved on September 18, 1850.
• If accused of escaping slavery, the slaves were
  returned to their owner and often punished
  severely.
  
• People who helped slaves escape could be fined
  1,000 and jailed for six months.

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Wanted Posters
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Underground railroad workers came from all walks
of life.

• Ministers
• Shopkeepers
• Farmers
• Former slaves

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Harriet Tubman

• She was one of the greatest conductors of the
  Underground Railroad.
  
• Harriet led more than 300 slaves to freedom,
  including her own parents.
  
• She was often called Moses of her people for
  her brave journeys in leading slaves to the
  promised land.
  

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Slaves often used biblical stories and songs as
escape messages. The following song is about
Harriet Tubman. Use the word key to figure out
its meaning.Why was it important to make a
connection between freedom and religion?

• Go Down Moses,
• Way down in Egypts land,
• Tell old Pharaoh, let my people go
• No more shall they be in bondage toil,
• Let my people go.
• Let them come out with Egypts spoil,
• Let my people go.

• Word Key
• Moses Harriet Tubman
• Pharaoh Slave Owners
• Egypt The South

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The Abolition of Slavery

• The end of slavery occurred on December 18, 1865.
  This was when the Thirteenth Amendment to the
  Constitution was ratified.
  
• The amendment stated that neither slavery nor
  involuntary servitude shall exist within the
  United States.
  

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Sources

• www.nyjournalnews.com/blackhistory/purvis.html
  picture of Harriet Tubman and Robert Purvis
  
• http//www2.worldbook.com/students/feature_index.a
  sp history of Underground Railroad
  
• http//www.nyjournalnews.com/blackhistory/main.htm
  l history of Underground Railroad
  
• http//memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?aaodyssey15
  ./temp/ammem_OApl_at__at__at_mdbaaodyssey,gmd,mmorse
  history of Underground Railroad
  
• http//memory.loc.gov/
• Source for entire Powerpoint www.angelfire.com/sc
  3/samsps/uggr.ppt