Revolution: the Underground Railroad
Harriet Tubman escorting fugitives to freedom
· An organized effort of sympathetic Northerners to help slaves in their dash to freedom
- Northerners used to own slaves, but fought for national emancipation after realizing how morally wrong slavery is, and that there are better alternatives for labor
- In their fight for emancipation, many Northerners illegally helped slaves escape through the Underground Railroad
- Very well-developed system, including many secret signs and tactics to throw off pursuers
- Vigilance committees – the secret name for fugitive assistance groups that formed in major Northern cities.
- Provided fugitives with food, lodging, clothing, and money
- Helped slaves that reached freedom settle in communities
· Hundreds of thousands of slaves escaped secretly through the Underground Railroad
- Though some were escaping from harassment and abuse, others escaped so that their family wouldn’t be separated
· Has been around since 1786
- Northerners used to own slaves, but fought for national emancipation after realizing how morally wrong slavery is, and that there are better alternatives for labor
- In their fight for emancipation, many Northerners illegally helped slaves escape through the Underground Railroad
- Very well-developed system, including many secret signs and tactics to throw off pursuers
- Vigilance committees – the secret name for fugitive assistance groups that formed in major Northern cities.
- Provided fugitives with food, lodging, clothing, and money
- Helped slaves that reached freedom settle in communities
· Hundreds of thousands of slaves escaped secretly through the Underground Railroad
- Though some were escaping from harassment and abuse, others escaped so that their family wouldn’t be separated
· Has been around since 1786
