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The Underground Railroad was not an actual railroad. It was a secret network of people who helped African Americans escape slavery. From approximately 1810 to 1865, the freed slaves were led to freedom in Canada and the Northern states where slavery was illegal.

In order to keep the movement of slaves a secret, those who helped used code words based on railroad terms:
Conductors were people who helped the slaves by guiding them on their long journey. One of the most famous conductors was Harriet Tubman.
Stations were safe houses for the escaped slaves.
Stationmasters were the people who ran the safe houses and provided meals and shelter.
Terminals were the cities and towns where the safe houses were located.
Passengers were the men, women and children escaping slavery.
Lines were the routes that brought the people to the North.
Heaven was the code word for freedom.
Freedom Train was a code name for the Underground Railroad.

Escaping to the North was not easy. First, a slave had to escape from the slaveholder. Sometimes a "conductor" would pose as a slave, enter a plantation and then at night guide the runaways north. They would travel 10 to 20 miles to the next station, where they would rest and eat, hiding in barns and other out-of-the-way places. While they rested there, a message would be sent to the next station to alert its stationmaster.

Things got really difficult for the Underground Railroad in 1850 when the Fugitive Slave Act was passed. This law forced runaway slaves, even those caught in the Northern states, to be returned to their owners. To be completely safe, slaves had to travel all the way to Canada.

The "passengers" sometimes had to travel by train or boat. How was all this arranged and paid for? Abolitionists (people against slavery) in the North worked hard to get donations. They formed groups to help the escaped slaves and continued to help them find work and get settled once they reached "Heaven."

Because many slaves escaped and lived in secret, no one is exactly sure how many there were. Many experts believe that up to 100,000 escaped over the 50-year history of the Underground Railroad.

For about how long did the Underground Railroad operate?
10 years
20 years
50 years
50 years What was a code name for the Underground Railroad?
True North
Northern Line
Freedom Train
Freedom Train How far was it usually between stations?
2-5 miles
10-20 miles
100 miles
10-20 miles The passengers only traveled by foot.
True
False
It doesn't say in the story.
False The Fugitive Slave Act meant that runaway slaves had to be returned to their owners - even those caught in the Northern states.
True
False
It doesn't say in the story.
True What did a conductor do?
run the safe houses
lead the slaves along the escape route
help the escaped slaves get jobs
lead the slaves along the escape route Who paid for all the travel and related expenses of the slaves?
the US government
abolitionists and others who donated money
the Northern Railway Company
abolitionists and others who donated money What is an abolitionist?
someone who wanted to end slavery
someone against the Underground Railroad
someone against women's rights
someone who wanted to end slavery Who was Harriet Tubman?
a conductor who led many slaves to freedom
someone who ran a safe house in Ohio
the wife of the governor of New York
a conductor who led many slaves to freedom What do the stationmasters do?
run the safe houses
lead the slaves along the escape route
help the escaped slaves get jobs
run the safe houses

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