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The Underground Railroad (2 Parts)

The collective image of the Underground Railroad is that of slaves escaping through dimly lit passages and secret underground tunnels and byways. But the reality of the Underground Railroad is that of a legion of ex-slaves, Free Blacks, and whites that helped slaves escape. While there were pockets of organized “conductors” on the Underground Railroad, most activity was unorganized, spur-of-the-moment, and carried out by men and women whose names are lost to history. The true story of the Underground Railroad is more poignant, more human, and more heart rending than the myth, and depicts the desire for freedom more completely than the myth ever could. The Underground Railroad would be useful for classes on American History, African-American History, American Culture and Folklore, and Geography. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

OBJECTIVES: Students will analyze the institution of slavery and its social, political, economic and cultural effects, the causes and effects of the Civil War, and the African-American experience. They will also consider the role of first-person accounts and the use of primary resources in the construction of the historical narrative. They will differentiate between historical reality and historical myth, and how each offers a vision of the past and the present.

NATIONAL STANDARDS: Chronological thinking, historical comprehension, historical analysis and interpretation, historical research capabilities and historical issues-analysis and decision-making for Era 4 and Era 5.

Discussion Questions

  1. The Underground Railroad was never really a railroad in the literal sense. Why then was it named as such? What is the symbolic meaning of its name?

  2. Why is the Underground Railroad considered the first civil rights movement in America?

  3. Much of what has been said and thought about the Underground Railroad is myth. What is the mythology of the Underground Railroad? Why has its story evolved into mythology?

  4. Why was it so much more difficult for female slaves to escape than male slaves?

  5. Slaves knew well the consequences of failing to escape, and the odds were against their succeeding. Why then were slaves so willing to risk their lives in escape attempts?

  6. How and why did slavery become part of the American experience?

  7. How was slavery an integral force in the shaping of American history?

  8. In the early years of American settlement, African-Americans who escaped were often aided by Native Americans, and often became part of Native American society. Why were Native Americans so willing to aid African-Americans?

  9. Recently, Fort Moosa, a long-lost, Free Black settlement was discovered. How do historians know about Fort Moosa?

  10. Slavery originally was legal in all thirteen colonies. Why did it become concentrated in the South and wane in the North?

  11. Discuss the role of spirituals in African-American slave culture. How were these spirituals much more than just songs?

  12. Discuss some of the resources African-American slaves used to gain their freedom?

  13. In 1850, Congress passed the Fugitive Slave act. What were the provisions of this act? How did this act compromise the safety of both escaped slaves and free Blacks?

  14. What were the unintended positive side effects of the Fugitive Slave Act?

  15. Harriet Tubman, the woman famous for leading hundreds of slaves to freedom, earned the name “Moses.” What is the symbolism of calling Harriet Tubman, “Moses?”

  16. In 1859, abolitionist John Brown led a raid on Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. Was Brown’s raid a success? Why or why not?
Extended Activities

  1. Imagine that you are a slave traveling the Underground Railroad. Write a personal account of your journey.

  2. Research a “Negro” spiritual and discuss the “hidden” meanings in the song.

  3. Create a bounty poster for Harriet Tubman.

  4. Read Uncle Tom’s Cabin and discuss how and why this book had such a great impact on American History.
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