BE PREPARED…

Grab both papers from the table

HOMEWORK:(Due: Thursday)

Finish Underground Railroad cartoonComplete Chapter 15-2 Notes (on my website)

Harriet Tubman - A worker on the Underground Railroad, made 19 trips to

the South

The Underground Railroad was formed in the early 19th century, and reached its height between 1850 and 1860. One estimate

suggests that by 1850, 100,000 slaves had escaped via the "Railroad". British North America, where slavery was prohibited,

was a popular destination

The Underground Railroad had stations in Horsham, Upper Moreland, Montgomery and Abington in Montgomery County and Solesbury,

Quakertown, Doylestown, Yardley, Newtown and Buckingham in Bucks

In Our Own Backyard…

Montgomery County was one of the strongest links in the Underground

Railroad because of active anti-slavery groups like the Quakers. 

Johnson House - Germantown

Slaves seeking refuge along the route needed to know whether a house was safe.  One of the most common

signals of safety was the statue of a black jockey with a red cap.  Conductors on the Underground Railroad would place U.S. flags or lighted lanterns in the statue's hands to signify that it was safe to enter.  The absence of a flag

or lantern meant slaves should wait or move on to the next depot. Green ribbons were also tied to the arms of the statue to indicate safety; red ribbons meant to keep

going.

Old York Road, which ran from Philadelphia to New York, was one of the major tracks along the route to freedom in Canada.  By day, it appeared to be a muddy horse-and-

buggy trail that weaved its way north through eastern Montgomery County and was used by farmers to transport

their goods to Philadelphia.  By night, slaves cautiously making their way to freedom traveled the road as they followed the North Star.  They sought refuge along the

way in the homes of abolitionists and free blacks who had vowed to aid them in their quests.

Stations hid slaves in various spots

Each pattern represented a different meaning. Some of the most common were “North Star”, which slaves followed to the North, “Wagon Wheel”, which meant it was time to pack their provisions for the journey, and “Crossroads”, which indicated there was a major city ahead. Quilts slung over a fence or

windowsill, seemingly to air, passed on the necessary information to knowing slaves. Quilts hung out to air was a common sight on a plantation, neither the plantation owner nor the overseer would notice anything suspicious. It

was all part of a day’s work for the slaves.

NORTH STAR Quilt WAGON WHEEL Quilt CROSSROADS Quilt

In following the Drinking Gourd, the lyrics suggested slaves follow the "drinking gourd," a nickname for the Big Dipper,

which pointed to the North Star and the way to freedom

SpiritualsWade in the Water• Contains instructions to fugitive slaves on

how to avoid capture and the route to take to successfully make their way to freedom. This particular song allegedly recommends leaving dry land and taking to the water as a strategy to throw pursuing bloodhounds off one's trail

Swing Low Sweet ChariotMany people believe this referred to the Underground Railroad, the resistance movement that helped slaves escape from the South to the North and Canada

The Drinking Gourd• Folklore has it that fugitive slaves in the

United States used it as a point of reference so they would not get lost. According to legend, the song was used by a conductor of the Underground Railroad called Peg Leg Joe to guide some fugitive slaves

With more slaves escaping via the

Underground Railroad, a stricter law was

needed to help capture runaway slaves

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850The law made any official who didn’t arrest an alleged

runaway liable to a $1,000 fine

A captured runaway could not testify in

court or have a trial by jury

Slave catchers roamed northern Slave catchers roamed northern cities (sometimes taking free cities (sometimes taking free

African-Americans)African-Americans)

Signs like this were posted in northern

cities, offering rewards for fugitive slaves

Under the law, any person who provided runaways with food or

shelter was subject to 6 months imprisonment

and a $1,000 fine

Officers who helped capture runways were

entitled to a bonus

This led to many free blacks being

conscripted into slavery since they had

NO rights in court

Reaction to the Law

South’s reaction – pleasedpleased; considered slaves to be property (stolen car)

North’s reaction – angryangry; couldn’t ignore slavery anymore