2007-02-14 14:53:54 · 6 answers · asked by pacers31 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Homework Help
The underground railroad was not really a railway system, but a series of "safe houses" where slaves, attempting to escape to the north could stop, and have a night's sleep under a roof, a good meal, and a place to hide, incase there was someone after them. these houses usually had hidden rooms or cellars where these slaves could hide out until it was safe to move on to the next house, and eventually, north to freedom.
2007-02-14 15:02:31 · answer #1 · answered by Barbara H 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If this is for a report try this website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_railroad. Otherwise, the other two people answered the question pretty well--it was a system for slaves to escape from the south to freedom in the 19th century in the U.S. It was very complicated because those that helped slaves escape could be penalized by the law in the south. They used codes to show slaves which way to go--in the Racine Heritage museum, there's a display of quilts that were actually used to communicate with runaway slaves. There were sometimes even a secret room to hide slaves in case if there was a raid--there was a church around this area that when it was being renovated, they found a small dirt cellar that was unknown until the renovation! In the small room, they found items belonging to runaway slaves and other items from the 19th century that had been left there.
2007-02-14 23:13:09 · answer #2 · answered by wigginsray 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it was a underground tunnel that helped slaves escape from the south. There is are many "pit stops" or rest stops along the way. The closest to me is Kirbyville Pa. There might be on near you too!
2007-02-18 21:16:25 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A system for moving slaves from the south to free territory in the north or Canada. The slaves would move by night from one safe house to another.
2007-02-14 22:58:09 · answer #4 · answered by Steve A 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A group of people who helped slaves hide out while traveling north to freedom. The slaves usually hid in basements and the like until nighttime. It was safer for them to travel at night.
2007-02-14 23:02:31 · answer #5 · answered by robee 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was actually different locations/ houses/churches etc. where the slaves would hide out until they reached the "freed" states in the North.
2007-02-14 22:58:38 · answer #6 · answered by pickievickie 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋