The Underground Railroad

R E S O U R C E L I B R A R Y M A P The Underground Railroad

Map. The Underground Railroad was the network used by enslaved black Americans to obtain their freedom in the 30 years before the Civil War (1860-1865).

G R A D E S 5 - 12+

S U B J E C T S Geography, Human Geography

C O N T E N T S 1 Image

For the complete maps with media resources, visit: http://www.nationalgeographic.org/maps/undergroundrailroad/ The Underground Railroad was the network used by enslaved black Americans to obtain their freedom in the 30 years before the Civil War (1860-1865). The “railroad” used many routes from states in the South, which supported slavery, to “free” states in the North and Canada.

Sometimes, routes of the Underground Railroad were organized by abolitionists, people who opposed slavery. More often, the network was a series of small, individual actions to help fugitive enslaved persons.

Using the terminology of the railroad, those who went south to find enslaved people seeking freedom were called “pilots.” Those who guided enslaved people to safety and freedom were “conductors.” The enslaved people were “passengers.” People’s homes or businesses, where fugitive passengers and conductors could safely hide, were “stations.”

Stations were added or removed from the Underground Railroad as ownership of the house changed. If a new owner supported slavery, or if the site was discovered to be a station, passengers and conductors were forced to find a new station. Establishing stations was done quietly, by word-of-mouth. Very few people kept records about this secret activity, to protect homeowners and the fugitives who needed help. If caught, fugitive enslaved persons would be forced to return to slavery. People caught aiding escaped enslaved people faced arrest and jail. This applied to people living in states that supported slavery as well as those living in free states. Vocabulary

Part of Term Definition Speech abolitionist noun person who opposes slavery. black adjectiveperson of African descent. (1860-1865) American conflict between the Union (north) and Civil War noun Confederacy (south). in the Underground Railroad, a person who guided slaves to safety and conductor noun freedom. enslave verb to totally control. enslaved noun person who is owned by another person or group of people. person free state noun nation or country that outlaws slavery. noun, fugitive escaped from the law or another restriction. adjective North noun states that supported the United States (Union) during the Civil War. passenger noun in the Underground Railroad, a runaway slave seeking freedom. in the Underground Railroad, a person who went to slave states to find pilot noun slaves seeking freedom and willing to risk their lives to achieve it. route noun path or way. process and condition of owning another human being or being owned slavery noun by another human being. loosely defined geographic region largely composed of states that South noun supported or were sympathetic to the Confederate States of America (Confederacy) during the U.S. Civil War. in the Underground Railroad, a safe place where runaway slaves could station noun hide. terminology noun set of terms used in a specialized subject. Underground system used by abolitionists between 1800-1865 to help enslaved noun Railroad African Americans escape to free states. Part of Term Definition Speech word-of- phrase rumor or informal communication. mouth Maps State of Indiana: Underground Railroad Sites in Indiana

Websites National Parks Service: Aboard the Underground Railroad