African-Canadian History: Part 1 Background Information
1.
What was the Underground Railroad?
-a network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century
2.
How and when did the Underground Railroad begin?
-The railroad began in the 19th century.
3.
Why was it called an underground railroad?
-It was called the 'underground' railroad because it was a mostly secret operation
to get slaves from the South to the North and to Canada.
4.
Who helped the slaves escape?
-The Quakers.
5.What or who was each of the following on the Underground Railroad?
a)Stations and depots -Where fugitives would rest and eat
b)Stationmasters- someone who is in charge of a safe house or sanctuary.
c)Stockholders- Those that donated money to keep the underground railroad running.
d)Conductor- who went to the south and helped guide slaves to safety.
6.
What was the first thing a slave had to do? How did he/she do it?
-Free blacks.
7
.How would the escaping slaves know how to travel north? For what signs would they
look?
-They would use the North star to find their way North because it would never change
in position it always faces North.
8.
What was the Drinking Gourd? Where is it located?
-United States used it as a point of reference so they would not get
lost.
9.
What is the North Star? Where is it located?
-The North star is located North. It is a star that always faces
North.
10.
At what time of day did the slaves move? Why did they move at that time?
-They moved at night so they could follow the North star and drinking
gourd.
11.
How far apart were the "stations"?
-The stations were usually 20 miles apart.
12.
What did the slaves do at the "stations"?
-Eat and rest.
13.
How did the slaves travel?
-They travelled on foot.
14.
What role were quilts believed
to have played on the Underground Railroad?
-They were used as secret codes and when a slave saw a quilt on a safe house they new
it really was secure.
15.
Who were some of the people who helped on the Underground Railroad?-
- abolitionists