By: Samantha Chantz

Underground RailroadA Journey to Freedom

1810-1850

A network of people who arranged transportation and hiding places for fugitives and escaping slaves.

People gave rewards to people to help them find their runaway slaves. The reward could be between $50 and $200 depending upon how the slave worked and if the slave could be sold again for more money.

Definition of the Underground Railroad

Harriet Tubman helped many escaped slaves. She is told to be very strong willed and do what she thought was right.

Born into slavery on Maryland's Eastern Shore.Married John Tubman who was a free man.She was nicknamed Moses, because in the bible Moses

lead the Israelites to freedom and she lead the Slaves and escaped fugitives to freedom.

She started the Underground Railroad in 1836, and helped nearly 300 slaves escape.

Harriet Tubman

When the sun goes back     and the first quail callsFollow the drinking gourdThe old man is a-waitin' for    to carry you to freedomFollow the drinking gourd

ChorusFollow the drinking gourd,follow the drinking gourdFor the old man is a-waitin'to carry you to freedomFollow the drinking gourd

The river bed makes a mighty fine road,Dead trees to show you the wayAnd it's left foot, peg foot, traveling onFollow the drinking gourd

The river ends between two hillsFollow the drinking gourdThere's another river on the other sideFollow the drinking gourd

I thought I heard the angels sayFollow the drinking gourdThe stars in the heavens     gonna show you the wayFollow the drinking gourd

Follow the Drinking Gourd•Follow The Drinking Gourd was a simple Song with hidden meanings that helped Helped escaping slaves find the rode tofreedom

•One of the hidden meanings is “When the sun goes back…” That means when the sun goes down that is when you are suppose To try and escape.

Conductors- people who helped slaves find the path to freedom.

Stations- a safe place for a slave to stay.Station master- was the person in charge of

the hiding place.Passenger baggage- these were the escaped

slaves/ travelers.

Underground Railroad terms

A brightly lit candle in a window meant it was a safe house which meant it was a safe place for slaves to stay.

This is the most important fact, because with out the candle being there the slaves wouldn’t know what house to go to. Many slaves couldn’t read so even if they hid a secret note and or quote many of the slaves wouldn’t know what it said.

Signs of a Safe house

Questions