The Resistance to Slavey: The Underground Railroad

Question 1

17. Was the Underground Railroad underground and was it an actual railroad?

Answer 1

No

Question 2

18. Define what the Underground Railroad was?

Answer 2

It was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by escaping slaves.

Question 3

19. The people involved in the Underground railroad used specific terms.
    * What were these terms?
    * Why were they used?

Answer 3

• They used railroading terms.
• They were used so that they would not be found out.

Question 4

20. The below were key terms used by people involved in the underground railroad. Give the definition of each/what they meant:
    (1) Stations
    (2) Station masters
    (3) Conductors

Answer 4

(1) Stations: The homes and businesses where fugitives would rest and eat.
(2) Station masters: These were the people who ran the stations.
(3) Conductor: The person who helped fugitives move from one station to the next.

Question 5

21. Fill in the blanks: The Underground Railroad was made up of ____________, _______________, ______________ and _______________.

Answer 5

Meeting Points
Secret routes
Transport
Safe Houses

Question 6

22. Was there a specific person who organized the underground railroad? Justify your answer.

Answer 6

No. The Underground Railroad was not run by a single person or organisation but was rather organised by many individuals.

Question 7

23. What kind of people were Conductors? Give 4 examples.

Answer 7

• Black people who were not salves
• White Abolotionists
• Former Slaves
• Indigenous Americans

Question 8

24. What kind of places were used as stations? Give 5 examples.

Answer 8

• Peoples homes
• Churches
• Barns
• Shops
• Shacks

Question 9

25. How did the routes used by slaves confuse slave owners that might come after them?

Answer 9

The routes were indirect and the slaves moves from one station to the next.

Question 10

26. What time of the day did escaped slaves normally travel from station to station?
    And how did they travel between station to station (name 4 modes of transport)?

Answer 10

• They mostly travelled at night.
• They also travelled by foot and by a false bottomed wagon. Sometimes they travelled by boat and train.

Question 11

27. What time of the day did escaped slaves typically stay at stations and how did they remain hidden there?

Answer 11

• They were typically there during the day to rest.
• They would stay under bales of hay or in hidden rooms.