What was Indiana’s role in the Underground Railroad?
- Some who lived across the river from Kentucky, a slave state, would capture people running away from slavery and return them to the South. The story of Indiana is the story of all states that played a role in the Underground Railroad.
Was Indiana part of the Underground Railroad?
The Underground Railroad in Indiana was part of a larger, unofficial, and loosely-connected network of groups and individuals who aided and facilitated the escape of runaway slaves from the southern United States. It is not known how many fugitive slaves escaped through Indiana on their journey to Michigan and Canada.
Who was the best known station master in Indiana?
Levi Coffin, President of the Underground Railroad The best-known Underground Railroad “station master” in Indiana was Levi Coffin. Coffin, who came to Indiana in 1826, is also known as “President of the Underground Railroad.” He claimed that he and his wife housed about 2,000 people over 20 years.
Where did the Underground Railroad go through Indiana?
Indiana’s Underground Railroad The routes in Indiana went from Posey to South Bend; from Corydon to Porter; and from Madison to DeKalb County, with many stops in between.
How did abolitionists help in the Underground Railroad?
Conductors helped runaway slaves by providing them with safe passage to and from stations. They did this under the cover of darkness with slave catchers hot on their heels. Many times these stations would be located within their own homes and businesses.
How did Indiana participate in the Underground Railroad?
Indiana played a large role in the Underground Railroad, helping thousands of escaped slaves safely travel through the Hoosier state. A stone tunnel was built to lead slaves to Carpenter’s basement, where they could hide until they were ready to be moved farther north.
What states was the Underground Railroad in?
Most of the enslaved people helped by the Underground Railroad escaped border states such as Kentucky, Virginia and Maryland. In the deep South, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 made capturing escaped enslaved people a lucrative business, and there were fewer hiding places for them.
Did William still create the Underground Railroad?
William Still was an abolitionist and conductor on the Underground Rail Road for 18 years. During this time he raised funds, provided shelter, and facilitated the resettlement of escaped slaves in the North. He got his start in 1847 at the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery as a clerk.
Who was the father of the Underground Railroad?
William Still (1821-1902), known as “the Father of the Underground Railroad,” assisted nearly 1,000 freedom seekers as they fled enslavement along the eastern branch of the Underground Railroad. Inspired by his own family’s story, he kept detailed, written records about the people who passed through the PASS offices.
Why did William still become an abolitionist?
Although Still received very little formal education, he did learn to read and write, teaching himself by extensive reading. Still’s literary skills would help him become a prominent abolitionist and advocate for formerly enslaved people.
Is Indiana North or South?
Indiana is in the north-central United States and borders on Lake Michigan. Surrounding states are Michigan to the north and northeast, Illinois to the west, Kentucky to the south, and Ohio to the east.
When was slavery abolished in Indiana?
Despite slavery and indentures becoming illegal in 1816 due to the state constitution, the 1820 federal census listed 190 slaves in Indiana.
When did Indiana became a state?
Reaction in the South to the growing number of slaves who escaped ranged from anger to political retribution. Large rewards were offered for runaways, and many people eager to make money or avoid offending powerful slave owners turned in runaway slaves. The U.S. Government also got involved.
Who was in the abolitionist movement?
The abolitionist movement was the social and political effort to end slavery everywhere. Fueled in part by religious fervor, the movement was led by people like Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth and John Brown.
What did abolitionists do to help slaves escape?
The abolitionists saw slavery as an abomination and an affliction on the United States, making it their goal to eradicate slave ownership. They sent petitions to Congress, ran for political office and inundated people of the South with anti-slavery literature.
The Underground Railroad in Indiana
Mary Schons contributed to this article. The 20th of June, 2019 is a Thursday. For 30 years before to the American Civil War, enslaved African Americans utilized the Underground Railroad to gain their freedom, a network known as the Underground Railroad (1861-1865). The “railroad” employed a variety of routes to transport people from slave-supporting states in the South to “free” states in the North and Canada. Sometimes abolitionists, or persons who were opposed to slavery, were responsible for organizing routes for the Underground Railroad.
There was a great deal of activity on the Underground Railroad in the states that bordered the Ohio River, which served as a boundary between slave and free states.
Not everyone in Indiana supported the emancipation of enslaved people.
Because Indiana was a part of the Underground Railroad, its narrative is the tale of all states that had a role in it.
- However, while some people did have secret chambers in their homes or carriages, the great bulk of the Underground Railroad consisted of individuals surreptitiously assisting slaves who were attempting to flee slavery in whatever manner they were able to.
- The persons that were enslaved were referred to as “passengers.” “Stations” were private residences or commercial establishments where passengers and conductors seeking freedom might take refuge.
- If a new owner supported slavery, or if the residence was revealed to be a station on the Underground Railroad, passengers and conductors were obliged to locate a new station or move on somewhere.
- Only a small number of people kept records of this hidden activity in order to protect homeowners and others seeking freedom who required assistance.
- People who were found assisting those who had fled slavery faced arrest and imprisonment.
- No one knows exactly how the Underground Railroad received its name, nor does anybody care.
- Another version of the story assigns the name to a freedom-seeker who was apprehended in Washington, D.C., in the year 1839.
A third narrative connects the name to an enslaved man called Tice Davids, who made the decision to pursue his freedom in 1831, according to the legend.
Unfortunately, there was no boat available to take us over the river.
His enslaver returned to Kentucky without him, claiming that Davids had vanished while traveling on a “underground railroad.” To put it another way, the name “Underground Railroad” had been widely accepted by the mid-1840s.
According to Article 6 of the Northwest Ordinance, slavery was prohibited north of the Ohio River; however, the rule did not apply to enslaved persons who were already residing in the region.
Slavery was a common feature of life in the Northwest Territories at the time.
Indiana was established as a territory in 1800, with future United States PresidentWilliam Henry Harrison serving as the area’s first territorial governor.
Harrison and his followers also believed that permitting slavery in Indiana would increase the state’s population.
Their petition was refused by Congress.
The “contract holder” has the authority to determine how long the victim must be held in slavery.
When Indiana became a state in 1816, its stateConstitutioncontained wording that was comparable to Article 6 of the Northwest Ordinance—new enslaved persons were not permitted, but existing enslaved people were allowed to continue in their current state of enslavement.
The term “slave” was still used to describe some Hoosiers as late as the 1820 census.
(White people were exempt from this requirement.) Indiana’s 1851 Constitution prohibited blacks from voting, serving in the military, or testifying in any trial in which a white person was accused of a crime.
All three pathways eventually went to Michigan and subsequently to Canada, although they took different routes.
Lewis Harding said in a 1915 history of Decatur County, Indiana, that the county was a spot where three roads came together after crossing the Ohio River at separate points in the county.
assisted the escaped slaves in every way imaginable,” he adds, using the injunction as an example.
As Harding says, “the sympathies of the majority of the residents of this nation were with the escaped slave and his rescuer.” Historians now feel that the path to independence resembled a spider’s web rather than three independent pathways to freedom.
While traveling, they had to avoid organized networks of patrolmen who grabbed freedom-seekers and held them hostage for ransom money.
Known as the “President of the Underground Railroad,” Coffin is credited for bringing slavery to Indiana in 1826.
In his memoir, Reminiscences, Coffin tells the story of two girls who escaped Tennessee and sought refuge with their grandparents in the Indiana county of Randolph.
They were not, however, destined to live in safety.
When the alarm went off, it attracted the majority of the settlement’s black people together in a single location.
Unknown to them, an uncle of the two girls rode up on his horse at the same time the enslaver was being held at bay by the grandmother’scorn knife.
They were not given any authorization to enter the premises or search for items, according to him.” The uncle remained at the doorway for as long as he could to continue the dispute with the enslaver.
According to the account, the girls were disguised as guys and sneaked past the crowd to where two horses were waiting for them.
The girls were able to make it to Coffin’s residence without incident.
Eliza Harris’s Indefatigable Escape Indiana is the scene of one of the most famous slave escapes in history, which took place in the state of Indiana.
Harris made the snap decision to flee to Canada with her infant son in tow.
There were no bridges, and there was no way for a raft to get through the thick ice.
Moving from one ice floe to another while carrying her child, she eventually made it to the other end.
Eliza, in fact, is the name of the character who travels across the frigid Ohio.
In order to recover from their ordeal, Harris and her child traveled to Levi Coffin’s Fountain City residence.
In 1854, Levi and Catherine Coffin were on a visit to Canada with their daughter when a woman approached Catherine and introduced herself.
God’s blessings on you!” It was Eliza Harris, who had safely migrated to Chatham, Ontario, Canada, when the call came through.
Illustration provided courtesy of The Library of Congress is a federal government institution that collects and organizes information.
Examine the list of locations to determine if any are in your immediate vicinity.
But it was carried out according to a completely other set of rules.
.
Levi Coffin’s Reminiscences, published in 1880abet Help is a verb that refers to assisting in the committing of a crime.
abolitionist A person who is opposed to slavery as a noun.
authority Making choices is the responsibility of a nounperson or organization.
The payment of a fine or the performance of a contract under the terms of an agreement constitutes a bond, which is an unenforceable agreement.
cattle Andoxen are nouncows.
The American Civil War The American Civil War was fought between the Union (north) and the Confederacy between 1860 and 1865.
conductor A person who escorted slaves to safety and freedom on the Underground Railroad was known as a guide.
The House of Representatives and the Senate are the two chambers of the United States Congress.
convictVerb to find someone guilty of committing a criminal offense.
Municipality is a type of political entity that is smaller than a state or province, but often larger than a city, town, or other municipality.
defendantNounperson or entity who has been accused of committing a crime or engaging in other misconduct.
economy The production, distribution, and consumption of commodities and services are all referred to as a system.
enslave acquainted with the verbto completely control Adjectivewell-known.
forbidVerb to ban or prohibit something.
fugitive a noun or an adjective that has gotten away from the law or another limitation a system or order established by a country, a state, or any other political body; government Harriet Beecher Stowe was an American writer and abolitionist activist who lived from 1811 to 1896.
Nouna huge, flat sheet of ice that is floating on the surface of a body of water.
labor is a noun that refers to work or employment.
Throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the term negronoun was frequently used to refer to persons of African descent.
During the American Civil War, the North was comprised of states that backed the United States (Union).
A portion of the modern-day states of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota belonged to the Northwest Territory at the time of its creation.
The Ohio River is the greatest tributary of the Mississippi River, with a length of 1,580 kilometers (981 miles).
passenger A fugitive slave seeking freedom on the Underground Railroad is referred to as a noun.
Requests are made verbally, and are frequently accompanied by a document signed by the respondents.
prominentAdjectivethat is significant or stands out.
recover from an accident or strenuous activityVerb to recover from an injury or rigorous activity repeal a verb that means to reverse or reject anything that was previously guaranteed rouse a verb that means to awaken or make active.
Slavery is a noun that refers to the act of owning another human being or being owned by another human being (also known as servitude).
South During the American Civil War, the Confederate States of America (Confederacy) was backed or sympathized with by a huge number of states.
Supreme CourtNounin the United States, the highest judicial authority on questions of national or constitutional significance.
terminology A noungroup of words that are employed in a particular topic area.
Nounland that is protected against invaders by an animal, a person, or the government.
the southern hemisphere Geographic and political territory in the south-eastern and south-central sections of the United States that includes all of the states that sided with the Confederacy during the American Civil War.
unconstitutional Adjective that refers to a violation of the laws of the United States Constitution.
9th President of the United States of America, William Henry HarrisonNoun (1773-1841). (1841). word-of-mouth Informal communication, sometimes known as rumor or rumor mill. NounA official order issued by a government or other authoritative body.
Media Credits
Mary Schons contributed to this report. on the 20th of June in the year of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ When enslaved African Americans attempted to gain their freedom in the 30 years preceding the American Civil War, they turned to the Underground Railroad for assistance (1861-1865). Slavery-supporting states in the South were served by a network of “railroads” that connected them to “free” states in the North and Canada. Sometimes abolitionists, people who were opposed to slavery, organized paths for the Underground Railroad.
- There was a great deal of activity on the Underground Railroad in the states that bordered the Ohio River, which served as a boundary between slave and free states.
- Despite widespread support for emancipation, not all Hoosiers were on board with it.
- Because Indiana was a part of the Underground Railroad, its history is the tale of all states that participated in it.
- To the dismay of many, the Underground Railroad did not consist of a network of underground passageways.
- Persons who traveled south to discover enslaved people who were looking for freedom were referred to as “pilots” in railroad jargon.
- “Passengers” were the term used to describe the slaves.
- With each change in ownership of the house, additional or fewer stations were added to the Underground Railroad network.
It was done in a discreet manner, by word of mouth, that the stations were being established.
Liberation aspirants would be compelled to return to servitude if they were apprehended and brought to justice.
Slavery was backed by both states that supported slavery and free states, and this extended to both groups.
According to one account, the term was coined by failed Pennsylvania patrolmen who attempted to abduct freedom seekers.
He said that he collaborated with others to flee to the North, where “the railroad went underground all the way to Boston,” after being tortured by his captors.
Eventually, Davids managed to get away from his Kentucky enslaver and make it to the Ohio River in time.
When Davids realized he was about to be captured, he swam over the river to the other side and slid out of sight.
To put it another way, the phrase “Underground Railroad” had become widely used by the mid-1840s.
When the new United States government formed the Northwest Territory in 1787, it included the area that would eventually become Indiana as part of that territory.
Even though no one else was permitted to be enslaved in 1787, people who were enslaved in 1787 remained such.
Vincennes and FloydCountyin the south, and as far north as La Porte, are two places where evidence of slavery has been found.
Because Harrison believed that slavery would help the economy flourish, he advocated its use.
For a period of ten years, the politicians and business leaders of Indiana petitioned Congress to remove Article 6.
Indiana Territory House of Representatives established a new legislation in 1805 that allowed persons to keep enslaved people who had been bought in the United States after they were brought to the country.
Property was extended to the enslaved person’s offspring, as well.
Indiana was a free state by 1816, yet it was not a welcoming environment for African-Americans.
) (This was not required of white folks.
Indiana’s Underground Railroad (also known as the Indiana Underground Railroad System) There were three primary lines of the Underground Railroad in Indiana, according to popular belief at the time of the discovery.
The slavery trade in Canada was prohibited in 1833.
Decatur County, Indiana, was described by Lewis Harding in his history of the county published in 1915 as a spot where three roads came together after crossing the Ohio River at various points.
assisted the escaped slaves in every way imaginable,” he adds, using the injunction as his source.
As Harding says, “the sympathies of the vast majority of the residents of this nation were with the escaped slave and his aid.” Rather than three different roads to independence, historians today believe the journey to freedom resembled a spider’s web.
While traveling, they had to avoid organized networks of patrolmen who grabbed freedom-seekers and held them hostage in exchange for ransom payments.
Levi Coffin of Newport, Indiana, was the most well-known Underground Railroad “station master” in the state (now called Fountain City).
The couple claimed to have hosted about 2,000 individuals over the course of two decades, spreading bedrolls on their kitchen floor to accommodate as many people as they could fit in.
“It was there that the girls stayed after their long and risky voyage of relishing their newly won independence and hoped that their master would never find out where they had gone.” They had no intention of remaining in safety, though.
Their captor, as well as a gang of men from Richmond and Winchester, were awakened by this event.
Around the grandparents’ hut, more than 200 people gathered to encircle and protect them from harm.
“He wanted to see the writ, which was provided to him by the officer,” Levi explains.
He denied that they were given any clearance to enter the residence and search for goods.” The uncle remained at the doorway as long as he could to continue the dispute with the enslaver.
According to the account, the girls were disguised as guys and sneaked past the throng to a location where two horses waiting for them.
To Coffin’s residence, the girls were able to make it without incident.
One of Eliza Harris’ children was sold for money in the winter of 1830, according to her enslaver, who she overheard that he was planning to sell another of her children for money.
Eventually, she managed to get free and flee to the Ohio River.
Harris leaped onto a slab of ice floating in the river after hearing her enslaver’s horse approaching.
It was in Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a book by Harriet Beecher Stowe, that Harris’ heroic escape was recounted.
It went on to become one of the most important novels in history, inspiring many Americans to sympathize with enslaved people and abolitionists as a result of reading it.
They then apparently spent some time in the adjacent town of Pennville, Indiana, before continuing their journey northwards.
“How are you, Aunt Katie?” the woman shouted as she snatched Catherine’s hand in her own.
God bless you!” It was Eliza Harris, who had successfully migrated to Chatham, Ontario, Canada, from her previous residence in the United Kingdom.
Thank you for using this illustration National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) (also known as the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)) The Underground Railroad Has Arrived.
Analyze the list of locations to determine whether any are in your immediate vicinity.
A completely new approach was taken in its execution.
.
1880abet, Levi Coffin wrote his reminiscences.
abolish is a verb that means to eliminate or eliminate something.
accommodate Provide or fulfill is a verb.
presumptive or presumptiveAdjectives that are asserted Roughly Adjective that refers to a figure that is either generic or close to accurate.
baffle verb to be perplexed and annoyed The payment of a fine or the performance of a contract under the terms of an agreement is referred to as a bond.
cattle ‘Nouncows’ are a kind of adverb.
In the American Civil War (also known as the American Revolutionary War), The American struggle between the Union (north) and the Confederacy between 1860 and 1865 is referred to as the American Civil War (south).
Both the House of Representatives and the Senate comprise the United States Congress.
Someone is found guilty of an illegal conduct when they are found guilty by a jury.
An administrative unit that is smaller than a state or province but often larger than a city, town, or other municipality.
DefendantNounperson or entity who has been accused of engaging in criminal activity or another type of misconduct dwell To reside in a certain location is the verb to reside.
encourage Verb to motivate or encourage someone or something.
well-known Adjectivewell-known.
forbidVerb to forbid or prohibit something from happening.
fugitive a noun or an adjective that has gotten away from a law or other constraint a system or order established by a country, a state, or any other political body Noun Abolitionist leader and author Harriet Beecher StoweNoun(1811-1896) was an American writer and activist who was active in the abolitionist movement.
- ice floe influential Important in terms of having the power to influence the thoughts or attitudes of others; influential in terms of being influential in terms of being influential.
- Nounwork or employment is defined as: labor.
- A network is a collection of interconnected linkages that allows for movement and communication.
- a region of the United States that stretched between the Mississippi River and Pennsylvania’s western border, and north of the Ohio River (from 1787 to 1803).
- novelNounA fictitious narrative or tale that is told in a fictional manner.
- ostensibly It is a noun that means to feign or show up.
- perilousAdjectivedangerous.
pilot Person who traveled to slave states in search of slaves desiring freedom and willing to sacrifice their lives in order to obtain it was known as an informer on the Underground Railroad.
adjective significant or distinguishing itself from the rest of the crowd ransom Property release or return fees are referred to as nounfees.
repeal Something that was once assured is being overturned or rejected.
slave hunter Uncountable person who goes in search of fugitive slaves with the intention of forcing them back into servitude.
smuggle Take something secretly or steal it is the definition of the word “steal.” South An ill-defined geographic territory mostly consisted of states that either backed or were sympathetic to the Confederate States of America (Confederacy) during the American Civil War.
Those who identify with the Supreme CourtNounthe highest judicial authority in the United States on questions of national or constitutional significance To comprehend or share a feeling or emotion is to use the verb understand.
terrain Topographic features of a particular area are denoted by the noun.
a region in the southeastern United States a geological and political region in the south-eastern and south-central regions of the United States that includes all of the states that backed the Confederacy during the American civil war In Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote an anti-slavery novel in 1852, which became known as the Uncle Tom’s Cabin Noun.
9th President of the United States, William Henry HarrisonNoun (1773-1841). (1841). word-of-mouth Informal communication, often known as rumor, NounA official order issued by a government or other authoritative authority.
Writer
Submitted by Mary Schons The 20th of June, 2019, is a Thursday. The Underground Railroad was the network that enslaved African Americans utilized to gain their freedom in the 30 years leading up to the American Civil War (Civil War) (1861-1865). The “railroad” used a variety of routes to transport slaves from slave-supporting states in the South to “free” states in the North and Canada. Routes of the Underground Railroad were occasionally established by abolitionists, or persons who were opposed to slavery.
- A great deal of activity on the Underground Railroad took place in the states that bordered the Ohio River, which divided slave states from free states at the time of its construction.
- Not all Hoosiers supported the emancipation of enslaved people.
- The tale of Indiana is the story of all of the states that had a role in the Underground Railroad system, including the United States.
- While some people did have secret chambers in their homes or carriages, the great bulk of the Underground Railroad consisted people surreptitiously assisting those who were attempting to flee slavery in whatever manner they could.
- The enslaved persons were referred to as “passengers.” “Stations” were private residences or commercial establishments where passengers and conductors seeking asylum might securely hide.
- If a new owner supported slavery or if the residence was revealed to be a station on the Underground Railroad, passengers and conductors were obliged to locate a new stop.
- The fact that so few individuals kept records regarding this hidden activity served to safeguard homeowners and others seeking freedom who needed assistance.
People who were found assisting those who were fleeing slavery faced arrest and imprisonment.
The origin of the moniker “Underground Railroad” is a mystery to this day.
Another version of the narrative relates the name to a freedom-seeker who was arrested in Washington, D.C., in 1839 and imprisoned there.
A third version attributes the name to Tice Davids, an enslaved man who made the decision to pursue his freedom in 1831.
Unfortunately, there was no boat available to take us over.
Davids’ enslaver returned to Kentucky without him, claiming that he had vanished while traveling on a “underground railroad.” However, by the mid-1840s, the name “Underground Railroad” had become widely accepted.
According to Article 6 of the Northwest Ordinance, slavery was prohibited north of the Ohio River; however, the ordinance did not apply to enslaved persons who were already residing in the area.
Slavery was a common feature of everyday life in the Northwest Territory.
Indiana was established as a territory in 1800, with future United States PresidentWilliam Henry Harrison serving as the area’s first governor.
Harrison and his followers also believed that permitting slavery would increase the population of Indiana.
Their plea was refused by the Congress.
The “contract holder” has the authority to determine how long the individual must be enslaved.
When Indiana became a state in 1816, its stateConstitutioncontained wording that was comparable to Article 6 of the Northwest Ordinance—new enslaved persons were not permitted, but existing enslaved people were allowed to stay so.
Until the 1820 census, some Hoosiers were still classified as “slaves.” In 1831, the state Legislature passed legislation requiring blacks to register with the county and deposit a bond pledging that they would not cause disturbance in the community.
Indiana’s Underground Railroad (also known as the Underground Railroad of Indiana) Originally, it was believed that Indiana was home to three major Underground Railroad lines.
(Slavery in Canada was abolished in 1833.) With several stops in between, the routes in Indiana went from Posey to South Bend, from Corydon and Porter, and from Madison to DeKalb County, among other places.
According to the decree, “prominent farmers.
As Harding says, “the sympathies of the majority of the residents of this nation were with the escaped slave and his aid.” Scholars now assume that the path to freedom resembled a spider’s web rather than three independent pathways.
While traveling, they had to avoid organized networks of patrolmen who grabbed freedom-seekers and held them hostage in exchange for ransom money.
President of the Underground Railroad, Coffin was born in Indiana in 1826 and moved to the state as a refugee in 1826.
In his memoirs, Coffin tells the account of two girls who escaped Tennessee and sought refuge with their grandparents in Randolph County, Indiana.
However, they were not meant to live in peace.
When the alarm went off, the majority of the settlement’s black people gathered in one place.
During the time when the enslaver was being held at bay by the grandmother’scorn knife, an uncle of the two daughters showed up on his horse.
He went through it several times, looking for errors.
An escape strategy for the two females was being devised within the house.
Even though the would-be kidnappers were given permission to enter the residence, they were extremely perplexed when they discovered that the girls could not be found.
“We held the girls for a few weeks before sending them to Canada, where they would be secure,” he adds.
Eliza Harris, a Kentucky woman who was enslaved at the time, overheard her enslaver indicate he intended to sell one of her children for money during the winter of 1830.
She slipped away and dashed to the Ohio River for safety.
When Harris heard the sound of her enslaver’s horse approaching, she leaped onto a lump of ice that was drifting in the river.
It was in Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a book by Harriet Beecher Stowe, that Harris’ heroic escape was repeated.
Uncle Tom’s Cabinwent on to become one of the most important novels in history, inspiring many Americans to sympathize with enslaved people and abolitionists.
After there, they apparently stopped in the adjacent town of Pennville, Indiana, before continuing their journey north.
“How are you, Aunt Katie?” the woman said as she grabbed Catherine’s hand.
Eliza Harris escaped slavery in Kentucky by finding her way through the raging ice floes of the Ohio River, which was flowing with water.
The Underground Railroad is open to anyone.
Examine the list of locations to determine whether any are in your immediate vicinity.
But it was performed according to a completely other set of rules.
.
Levi Coffin’s Recollections, published in 1880abet To assist in the committing of a crime is to use the verb assist.
abolitionist Slavery is opposed by a nounperson.
acquitVerbto relieve a person of obligation or legal liability.
authority The person or entity in charge of making choices is a noun.
A bond is an unenforceable promise to pay a fine or to fulfill a contract if the conditions of the agreement are not satisfied.
cattle Nouncows andoxen, or nouncows andoxen.
Civil War is a period of time in which a country is divided.
conductor A person who escorted slaves to safety and freedom through the Underground Railroad.
The United States Congress is divided into two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
convictVerb to find someone guilty of committing a criminal offense Knife for corn (corn knife) Nouna broad straight or curved blade that is used to chop tall stalks of maize into smaller pieces.
debate To dispute or disagree in a formal environment is the definition of the verb.
dwell to be a resident of a specific location economy Production, distribution, and consumption of commodities and services are all referred to as a system.
Adjectivewell-known.
forbidVerb to forbid, disallow, or prohibit anything.
a system or order established by a country, a state, or another political body Harriet Beecher StoweNoun(1811-1896) American author and abolitionist leader who lived from 1811 to 1896.
ice floeNouna big, flat sheet of ice that floats on the surface of a body of water influential Important in that it has the power to influence the thoughts or attitudes of others.
Labor is a noun that refers to labour or employment.
to navigateVerbto plan and steer the route of a voyage Throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the term negronoun was frequently used to refer to persons with African descent.
During the American Civil War, the North was comprised of states that backed the United States of America (Union).
A portion of the modern-day states of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota belonged to the Northwest Territory at the time of its founding.
The Ohio River is the greatest tributary of the Mississippi River, measuring 1,580 kilometers (981 miles) in length.
passenger In the Underground Railroad, a runaway slave in search of freedom is known as a noun.
A verbto request, which is frequently accompanied by a form signed by the respondents.
prominentAdjectivethat is important or that stands out.
recover from an injury or strenuous activityVerb to recover from an injury or strenuous activity.
rouse a verb that means to awaken or make active slave hunter A person who goes in search of fugitive slaves with the intent of bringing them back to servitude.
smuggle steal or take away secretly is a verb.
station The Underground Railroad was a safe haven where escaped slaves might take refuge.
affinity To comprehend or share a feeling or emotion is to use the verb.
terrain Topographic features of a location are denoted by the noun.
testify In order to testify in court, the verb must be used.
Uncle Tom’s CabinNoun(1852), an anti-slavery book by Harriet Beecher Stowe, was published in 1852.
Between 1800 and 1865, abolitionists employed a nounsystem to assist enslaved African Americans in escaping to free states.
9th President of the United States of America (William Henry Harrison, 1773-1841). (1841). word-of-mouth Informal communication, sometimes known as rumor, is defined as follows: NounA official order issued by the government or another authority.
Editors
Kara West, Emdash Editing, Jeannie Evers, Emdash Editing
Producer
Kara West, Emdash Editing, Jeannie Evers, and Emdash Publishing
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Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad was a network of people, both black and white, who helped escaped enslaved persons from the southern United States by providing them with refuge and assistance. It came forth as a result of the convergence of numerous separate covert initiatives. Although the exact dates of its inception are unknown, it was active from the late 18th century until the Civil War, after which its attempts to weaken the Confederacy were carried out in a less-secretive manner until the Civil War ended.
Quaker Abolitionists
The Society of Friends (Quakers) is often regarded as the first organized group to actively assist escaped enslaved persons. In 1786, George Washington expressed dissatisfaction with Quakers for attempting to “liberate” one of his enslaved servants. Abolitionist and Quaker Isaac T. Hopper established a network in Philadelphia in the early 1800s to assist enslaved persons who were on the run from slavery. Abolitionist organisations founded by Quakers in North Carolina lay the basis for escape routes and safe havens for fugitive slaves during the same time period.
What Was the Underground Railroad?
According to historical records, the Quakers were the first organized organization to actively assist fugitive slaves. When Quakers attempted to “liberate” one of Washington’s enslaved employees in 1786, George Washington took exception to it. Abolitionist and Quaker Isaac T. Hopper established a network in Philadelphia in the early 1800s to assist enslaved persons who were fleeing their masters’ hands. Abolitionist societies founded by Quakers in North Carolina lay the basis for escape routes and safe havens for fugitives at the same time.
How the Underground Railroad Worked
The majority of enslaved persons aided by the Underground Railroad were able to flee to neighboring states like as Kentucky, Virginia, and Maryland. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 made catching fugitive enslaved persons a lucrative industry in the deep South, and there were fewer hiding places for them as a result of the Act. The majority of fugitive enslaved people were on their own until they reached specific places farther north. The escaping enslaved people were escorted by individuals known as “conductors.” Private residences, churches, and schools were also used as hiding places throughout the war.
The personnel in charge of running them were referred to as “stationmasters.” There were several well-traveled roads that ran west through Ohio and into Indiana and Iowa.
While some traveled north via Pennsylvania and into New England, or through Detroit on their route to Canada, others chose to travel south. The Little-Known Underground Railroad That Ran South to Mexico.
Fugitive Slave Acts
The Fugitive Slave Acts were a major cause for many fugitive slaves to flee to Canada. This legislation, which was passed in 1793, authorized local governments to catch and extradite fugitive enslaved individuals from inside the borders of free states back to their places of origin, as well as to penalize anybody who assisted the fleeing enslaved people. Personal Liberty Laws were introduced in certain northern states to fight this, but they were overturned by the Supreme Court in 1842. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was intended to reinforce the preceding legislation, which was perceived by southern states to be insufficiently enforced at the time of passage.
The northern states were still considered a danger zone for fugitives who had managed to flee.
Some Underground Railroad operators chose to station themselves in Canada and sought to assist fugitives who were arriving to settle in the country.
Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman was the most well-known conductor of the Underground Railroad during its heyday. When she and two of her brothers fled from a farm in Maryland in 1849, she was given the name Harriet (her married name was Tubman). She was born Araminta Ross, and she was raised as Harriet Tubman. They returned a couple of weeks later, but Tubman fled on her own again shortly after, this time making her way to the state of Pennsylvania. In following years, Tubman returned to the plantation on a number of occasions to rescue family members and other individuals.
Tubman was distraught until she had a vision of God, which led her to join the Underground Railroad and begin escorting other fugitive slaves to the Maryland state capital.
Frederick Douglass
She was the most well-known conductor of the Underground Railroad, and her name is Harriet Tubman. In 1849, she and two of her brothers managed to escape from a farm in Maryland, where they were born into slavery under the name Araminta Ross. Harriet Tubman was her married name at the time. While they did return a few of weeks later, Tubman set out on her own shortly after, making her way to the state of Pennsylvania. In following years, Tubman returned to the plantation on a number of occasions to rescue family members and other people.
Tubman was distraught until she had a vision of God, which led her to join the Underground Railroad and begin escorting other runaway slaves to the Maryland state capital of Fredericksburg. In order to avoid being captured by the United States, Tubman would transport parties of escapees to Canada.
Who Ran the Underground Railroad?
Harriet Tubman was the most well-known conductor of the Underground Railroad during her lifetime. When she and two of her brothers fled from a farm in Maryland in 1849, she was given the name Harriet Tubman (her married name was Araminta Ross). They returned a couple of weeks later, but Tubman fled on her own shortly after, making her way to Pennsylvania. In the following years, Tubman returned to the plantation on a number of occasions to rescue family members and others. She attempted to rescue her spouse on her third trip, but he had remarried and refused to go.
Tubman transported large numbers of fugitives to Canada on a regular basis, believing that the United States would not treat them favorably.
John Brown
Abolitionist John Brown worked as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and it was at this time that he founded the League of Gileadites, which was dedicated to assisting fleeing enslaved individuals in their journey to Canada. Abolitionist John Brown would go on to play a variety of roles during his life. His most well-known duty was conducting an assault on Harper’s Ferry in order to raise an armed army that would march into the deep south and free enslaved people at gunpoint. Ultimately, Brown’s forces were beaten, and he was executed for treason in 1859.
- The year 1844, he formed a partnership with Vermont schoolteacher Delia Webster, and the two were jailed for assisting an escaped enslaved lady and her young daughter.
- Charles Torrey was sentenced to six years in jail in Maryland for assisting an enslaved family in their attempt to flee through Virginia.
- After being apprehended in 1844 while transporting a boatload of freed slaves from the Caribbean to the United States, Massachusetts sea captain Jonathan Walker was sentenced to prison for life.
- John Fairfield of Virginia turned down the opportunity to assist in the rescue of enslaved individuals who had been left behind by their families as they made their way north.
- He managed to elude capture twice.
End of the Line
Abolitionist He was a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and it was during this time that he founded the League of Gileadites, an organization dedicated to aiding fleeing slaves in their journey to Canada. With the abolitionist movement, Brown would play a variety of roles, most notably leading an assault on Harper’s Ferry to raise an armed army that would march into the deep south and free enslaved people under threat of death. Eventually, Brown’s forces were defeated, and he was executed for treason in 1859.
- The year 1844, he formed a partnership with Vermont schoolteacher Delia Webster, and the two of them were jailed for aiding an escaped enslaved woman and her child escape.
- When Charles Torrey assisted an enslaved family fleeing through Virginia, he was sentenced to six years in jail in Maryland.
- was his base of operations; earlier, he had served as an abolitionist newspaper editor in Albany, New York.
- In addition to being fined and imprisoned for a year, Walker had the letters “SS” for Slave Stealer tattooed on his right hand.
As a slave trader, Fairfield’s strategy was to travel across the southern states. Twice he managed to escape from prison. Tennessee’s arebellion claimed his life in 1860, and he was buried there.
Sources
Bound for Canaan: The Epic Story of the Underground Railroad is a book about the Underground Railroad. Fergus Bordewich is a Scottish actor. A Biography of Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom Catherine Clinton is the first lady of the United States. Who Exactly Was in Charge of the Underground Railroad? ‘Henry Louis Gates’ is a pseudonym for Henry Louis Gates. The Underground Railroad’s History in New York is a little known fact. The Smithsonian Institution’s magazine. The Underground Railroad’s Dangerous Allure is well documented.
Levi Coffin – Ohio History Central
According to Ohio History Central Copper etched picture of Levi Coffin (1798-1877), a Quaker who sympathized with fleeing slaves and was shown in this photograph of the original copper engraving. From 1826 through 1846, he and his wife Catharine provided assistance to more than two thousand fleeing slaves at Fountain City, in Wayne County, Indiana. As a key actor in the Underground Railroad network that assisted thousands of runaway slaves in their attempts to escape to freedom in the years leading up to the American Civil War, Levi Coffin is remembered today.
- He belonged to the Society of Friends, which he founded.
- In fact, by the time he reached the age of fifteen, Coffin had already began assisting escaped slaves.
- In 1847, Coffin relocated to the city of Cincinnati.
- During this time, he also became a participant in the Underground Railroad.
- The majority of northern states had either banned slavery or passed legislation to phase down the practice gradually.
- As a result, the supporters of the Underground Railroad set up safe homes in both free and slave states to shield African Americans throughout their journey.
- In recognition of Coffin’s active engagement in the Underground Railroad, his fellow abolitionists dubbed him the “president of the Underground Railroad.” Levi Coffin also aided African Americans in a variety of different ways.
- During the Civil War, he exerted more pressure on the federal government to establish the Freedmen’s Bureau.
On September 16, 1877, he passed away in Cincinnati. A memorial commemorating Coffin’s accomplishments was raised above his tomb by African Americans in Cincinnati some years after his death to commemorate his achievements.
See Also
- Levi Coffin is a fictional character created by author Levi Coffin. Levi Coffin’s recollections of his time as the rumored President of the Underground Railroad. Arno Press, New York, NY, 1968
- Coffin, Levi, and William Still. Coffin, Levi, and William Still. Fleeing for Freedom: Stories of the Underground Railroad is a collection of short stories about people fleeing for freedom. Ivan R. Dee Publishers, Chicago, IL, 2004
- Hagedorn, Ann. Beyond the River: The Untold Story of the Heroes of the Underground Railroad is a book about the heroes of the Underground Railroad. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2002
- Roseboom, Eugene H. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2002
- The period from 1850 to 1873 is known as the Civil War Era. The Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society published the book in 1944.
Underground Railroad
Escapees from slavery travelled north in order to reclaim their freedom and escape harsh living conditions in their home countries. They required daring and cunning in order to elude law enforcement agents and professional slave catchers, who were paid handsomely for returning them to their masters’ possession. Southerners were extremely resentful of people in the North who helped the slaves in their plight. They invented the name “Underground Railroad” to refer to a well-organized network dedicated to keeping slaves away from their masters, which occasionally extended as far as crossing the Canadian border.
In 1850, Congress created the Fugitive Slave Law, which imposed severe fines on anybody found guilty of assisting slaves in their attempts to flee.
Underground Railroad “Stations” Develop in Iowa
Escapees from slavery travelled north in order to reclaim their freedom and escape horrible living conditions back home. Their boldness and cunning were required in order to elude law enforcement agents and professional slave catchers, who were paid handsomely for returning them to their masters. People in the South were furious with Northerners for assisting the slaves, and the North was furious with them. They developed the name “Underground Railroad” to refer to a well-organized network dedicated to keeping slaves away from their masters, which occasionally extended as far as the Canadian border.
Fugitive Slave Law was created by Congress in 1850 and punishes anybody found guilty of assisting slaves in their attempts to flee the country.
Iowa: A Free State Willing to Let Slavery Exist
Escapees from slavery travelled north in order to reclaim their freedom and escape horrible living conditions. They required daring and resourcefulness to elude law enforcement agents and professional slave catchers who were paid handsomely to return them to their masters. Southerners held a profound grudge towards anyone in the North who helped the slaves. They invented the phrase “Underground Railroad” to refer to an organized network dedicated to keeping slaves away from their masters, sometimes even crossing the border into Canada.
The Fugitive Slave Law, approved by Congress in 1850, imposed severe fines on anybody found guilty of assisting slaves in their attempts to flee.
Supporting Questions
- $200 Reward: Poster for the Return of Formerly-Enslaved People, October 1, 1847 (Document)
- “Effects of the Fugitive-Slave-Law” Print, 1850 (Image)
- Fugitive Slave Law, 1850 (Document)
- Poster for the Return of Formerly-Enslaved People, October 1, 1847 (Document)
- Poster for the Return of Formerly-Enslaved People, October 1, 1847 (Do
How did runaway slaves rely on the help of abolitionists to escape to freedom?
- Article from the Anti-Slavery Bugle titled “William and Ellen Craft,” published on February 23, 1849 (Document)
- Anti-Slavery Bugle Article titled “Underground Railroad,” published on September 16, 1854 (Document)
- “A Presbyterian Clergyman Suspended for Being Connected with the Underground Railroad” Article published on November 8, 1855 (Document)
- William Maxson Home in West Liberty, Iowa, circa 1890 (Image)
- “Fugitive
How did some runaway slaves create their own opportunities to escape?
- A newspaper article entitled “The ‘Running of Slaves’ – The Extraordinary Escape of Henry Box Brown” published on June 23, 1849 (Document)
- The Henry “Box” Brown Song and the Engraved Box, published in 1850 (Image, Document)
- “The Resurrection of Henry ‘Box’ Brown at Philadelphia” illustration published in 1850 (Image)
- Robert Smalls: “The Steamer ‘Planter’ and Her Captor,” published on June 14, 1862 (Do
$200 Reward: Poster for the Return of Formerly-Enslaved People, October 1, 1847
- After escaping enslavement, many people depended on northern whites to guide them securely to the northern free states and eventually to Canadian territory. For someone who had previously been forced into slavery, life may be quite perilous. There were incentives for capturing them, as well as adverts such as the one seen below for a prize. More information may be found here.
“Effects of the Fugitive-Slave-Law” Illustration, 1850
- Written in strong opposition to the Runaway Slave Act, which was approved by Congress in September 1850 and expanded federal and free-state duty for the return of fugitive slaves, this letter is full of anger. The bill called for the appointment of federal commissioners who would have the authority to enact regulations. More information may be found here.
Fugitive Slave Law, 1850
- As a result of the Fleeing Slave Law of 1850, it became unlawful for anybody in the northern United States to aid fugitive slaves in their quest for freedom. This statute supplemented the 1793 Fugitive Slave Act with additional clauses addressing runaways, and it imposed even harsher sanctions for interfering with their escape. More information may be found here.
Anti-Slavery Bugle Article – “William and Ellen Craft,” February 23, 1849
- In this article from the abolitionist journal, The Anti-Slavery Bugle, the narrative of Ellen and William Craft’s emancipation from slavery is described in detail. Ellen disguised herself as a male in order to pass as the master, while her husband, William, claimed to be her servant as they made their way out of the building. More information may be found here.
Anti-Slavery Bugle Article – “Underground Railroad,” September 16, 1854
- The Anti-Slavery Bugle article indicates the number of runaway slaves in northern cities in 1854, based on a survey conducted by the organization. This group contained nine slaves from Boone County, Kentucky, who were seeking refuge in the United States. Their captors were said to be on the lookout for them in Cincinnati, and they were found. More information may be found here.
“A Presbyterian Clergyman Suspended for Being Connected with the Underground Railroad” Article, November 8, 1855
- This newspaper story was written in Fayettville, Tennessee, in 1855 and is a good example of historical journalism. When Rev. T. B. McCormick, a priest in Indiana, was suspended for his membership in the Underground Railroad, the article details his ordeal in detail. In the narrative, he is accused of supporting escaped slaves on their way to freedom. More information may be found here.
William Maxson Home in West Liberty, Iowa, 1890
- It was published in the Fayetteville, Tennessee, newspaper in 1855, and is a good example of historical journalism. When Rev. T. B. McCormick, a clergyman in Indiana, was suspended for his membership in the Underground Railroad, the article tells what happened. In the narrative, he is accused of supporting fugitive slaves on their way out of the country. More information may be found at:
“Fugitive Slave Case Was Tried” – A Daily Gate City Article, April 13, 1915
- This story, which was published in the Keokuk, Iowa, newspaper The Daily Gate City in 1915, is about a trial that took place in Burlington in 1850. Buel Daggs, the plaintiff, sought $10,000 in damages as recompense for the services of nine slaves who had fled from Missouri and had worked for him as slaves. More information may be found here.
“The ‘Running of Slaves’ – The Extraordinary Escape of Henry ‘Box’ Brown” Article, June 23, 1849
- It was published in the Keokuk, Iowa newspaper The Daily Gate City in 1915 and is about a trial that took place in Burlington, Iowa, in 1850 and was published in The Daily Gate City. Buel Daggs, the plaintiff, sought $10,000 in damages as recompense for the services of nine slaves who had escaped from Missouri and had been working for him. More information may be found at:
Henry “Box” Brown Song and the Engraved Box, 1850
- Image of the engraving on the box that Henry “Box” Brown built and used to send himself to freedom in Virginia. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. There is a label on the box that says “Right side up with care.” During his first appearance out of the box in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the attached song, Henry “Box” Brown sang a song that is included here. More information may be found here.
“The Resurrection of Henry ‘Box’ Brown at Philadelphia” Illustration, 1850
- Henry “Box” Brown, a slave who escaped from Richmond, Virginia, in a box measuring three feet long, two and a half feet deep, and two and a half feet broad, is depicted in a somewhat comical but sympathetic manner in this artwork. In the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society’s administrative offices. More information may be found here.
Robert Smalls: “The Steamer ‘Planter’ and Her Captor,” June 14, 1862
- The escape of Robert Smalls and other members of his family and friends from slavery was chronicled in detail in an article published in Harper’s Weekly. Smalls was an enslaved African American who acquired freedom during and after the American Civil War and went on to work as a ship’s pilot on the high seas. More information may be found here.
“A Bold Stroke for Freedom” Illustration, 1872
- The image from 1872 depicts African Americans, most likely fleeing slaves, standing in front of a wagon and brandishing firearms towards slave-catchers. A group of young enslaved persons who had escaped from Loudon by wagon are said to be shown in the cartoon on Christmas Eve in 1855, when patrollers caught up with them. More information may be found here.
Additional Resources:
- Harriet Tubman Day is observed annually on March 31. The statement issued by the State of Delaware on the observance of Harriet Ross Tubman Day on March 10, 2017 may be seen on the website. Governor John Carney and Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long both signed the statement. Harriet Tubman – A Guide to Online Resources A wide range of material linked with Harriet Tubman may be found in these digital collections from the Library of Congress, which include manuscripts, pictures, and publications. It is the goal of this guide to consolidate connections to digital materials about Harriet Tubman that are available throughout the Library of Congress website. Scenes from Harriet Tubman’s Life and Times The website, which is accessible through the Digital Public Library of America, contains portions from the novel Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman, written by Sarah Bradford in 1869 and published by the American Library Association.
- Maryland’s Pathways to Freedom: The Underground Railroad in the State of Maryland On this page, you can find primary materials pertaining to Maryland and the Underground Railroad. Information from three former slaves, Samuel Green, Phoebe Myers, and others is included in this collection. “The Underground Railroad: A Secret History” by Eric Foner is a book on the history of the Underground Railroad. The author of this piece from The Atlantic discusses the “secret history” of the Underground Railroad, which he believes reveals that the network was not nearly as secretive as many people believe. Emancipation of William and Ellen Craft from Slavery According to “Documenting the American South,” this webpage focuses on how slaves William and Ellen Craft escaped from Georgia and sought asylum and freedom in the United States’ northern states.
Iowa Core Social Studies Standards (8th Grade)
The content anchor requirements for Iowa Core Social Studies that are most accurately reflected in this source collection are listed below.
The subject requirements that have been implemented to this set are appropriate for middle school pupils and cover the major areas that make up social studies for eighth grade students in the United States.
- S.8.13.Explain the rights and obligations of people, political parties, and the media in the context of a range of governmental and nonprofit organizations and institutions. (Skills for the twenty-first century)
- SS.8.19.Explain how immigration and migration were influenced by push and pull influences in early American history. SS.8.21.Examine the relationships and linkages between early American historical events and developments in the context of wider historical settings
- In your explanation of how and why prevalent social, cultural, and political viewpoints altered over early American history, please include the following information: SS.8.23.Explain the numerous causes, impacts, and changes that occurred in early American history
- And The Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, Washington’s Farewell Address, the Louisiana Purchase Treaty with France, the Monroe Doctrine, the Indian Removal Act, the Missouri Compromise, Dred Scott v. Sanford, and the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo are examples of primary and secondary sources of information that should be critiqued with consideration for the source of the document, its context, accuracy, and usefulness.
Kidnapping of Free People of Color
While students may be familiar with the Underground Railroad, which transported enslaved people north to freedom, they may be less familiar with the reverse movement of free African Americans in the north who were transported south and forced into slavery by the Confederacy. Last week, we published The Documents That ShapedTwelve Years a Slave, which tells the account of Solomon Northup’s capture and subsequent enslavement. Northup’s memoirs was the inspiration for the recently released filmTwelve Years a Slave.
Because of the nature of this crime, it is hard to estimate the number of free African Americans who were kidnapped and enslaved.
A document from the National Archives’ Center for Legislative Archives highlights the tragic situation of kidnapping of free African Americans prior to the Civil War, and we are sharing it with you today.
(Click on any of the pages to make them larger.) Following the American Revolution, the number of free African Americans in the northern United States rose as a result of emancipation legislation in northern states, private manumissions, and the ability of some slaves to purchase their own freedom.
Some slave catchers did not take the effort to verify that the identify of the person they seized matched the identity of the person they were legally permitted to take possession of before releasing them.
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Kidnappers were known to destroy freedom documents on a regular basis.
Aside from that, the abducted person’s relatives or friends were seldom able to testify on their behalf since most courts would not accept the testimony of African Americans, and white witnesses would refuse to testify at all for fear of reprisal from their neighbors.
Letter from Quaker Elisha Tyson to Representative McKim, dated December 5, 1811, discussing the kidnapping of free persons of color, page 3 of 3 “data-medium-file=”ssl=1″ data-medium-file=”ssl=1″ data-large-file=”ssl=1″ data-large-file=”ssl=1″ alt= loading=”lazy” loading=”lazy” “December 5, 1811, page 3 of Elisha Tyson’s letter to the editor about abducted free blacks “src=”is-pending-load=1″ width=”229″ height=”300″ src=”is-pending-load=1″ width=”229″ height=”300″ data-recalc-dims=”1” The data lazy srcset is a set of data “ssl=1 1915w, ssl=1 230w, ssl=1 785w, ssl=1 768w, ssl=1 1178w, ssl=1 1570w, ssl=1 685w, 1370w, ssl=1 230w, ssl=1 230w, ssl=1 785w, ssl=1 768w ” data-lazy-sizes=”(max-width: 229px) 100vw, 229px” data-lazy-sizes=”(max-width: 229px) 100vw, 229px” The lazy src attribute has the value “is-pending-load=1” and the srcset attribute has the value “data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAP/yH5BAEAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7” and the value “is-pending-load=1” “> In the case of white abolitionists, they observed the problem and tried to resolve it.
- In 1811, Elisha Tyson met with Representative Alexander McKim (R-MD) to describe the kidnapping situation and to seek his assistance.
- Tyson followed up with this letter, which contains information on other kidnapping incidents that Tyson was aware of at the time of the incident.
- He was unsuccessful.
- Letter from Quaker Elisha Tyson to Representative McKim, dated December 5, 1811, concerns the kidnapping of free persons of color, page 4 of the letter.
” data-lazy-sizes=”(max-width: 234px) 100vw, 234px” data-lazy-sizes=”(max-width: 234px) 100vw, 234px” ” data-lazy-src = data-lazy-src “is-pending-load=1 is a placeholder for ” srcset=”data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAP/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7/yH5BA “> Request that your pupils gather information on the circumstances of these incidents and the magnitude of the problem as they read the letter (or transcript) you have provided them.
What method was used to kidnap these people?
How did they manage to reclaim their independence?
The writer of the letter does not identify himself or the person to whom he is writing.
Before having your students watchTwelve Years a Slave, instruct them to look for anything in the film that coincides with or contradicts Tyson’s depictions of kidnapping and slave trade.
Understanding the historical backdrop of kidnappings of free African Americans before the Civil War will help your pupils better comprehend the movie, and it will help them recall Solomon Northup, who is a figure they will remember for a long time.