How Did the Underground Railroad Start?
The network of safe houses and secret passageways used during the 19th century to help African-American slaves escape from slave states to free states throughout the United States is known as the Underground Railroad. A number of abolitionists started the Underground Railroad in an effort to combat the practice. Routes were established throughout the U.S., leading to the North, Mexico and Canada. In all, it is estimated that 30,000 slaves were freed between 1810 and the onset of the Civil War in 1860s.
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History
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In 1793, the Fugitive Slave Law was established. This law mandated that the catching of runaway slaves was the responsibility of the states where the slaves came from. Isaac Hopper, along with other Quakers, began to establish the Underground Railroad.
Significance
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Since the originating state had a hard time practicing in other parts of the country, simply removing slaves from one part of the country and bringing them to other parts made the process of freeing slaves much easier.
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Features
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It's unknown how the the Underground Railroad was fully established, but it is known that each level of the railroad was fully autonomous and had very little knowledge of other portions. In this way, each section of the Underground Railroad was secure.
Size
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Although very few slaves were effectively freed through the Underground Railroad, the psychological impact on slaveholders and the slaves themselves was great. It kept slaveholders on their toes, while slaves retained hope for freedom. Harriet Tubman is known as one of the most active abolitionists, saving approximately 70 slaves.
Considerations
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The Compromise of 1850 was passed by Congress following the Mexican-American War. This gave free states the responsibility for returning fugitive slaves to their home state. Famous personality "Wild Bill" Hickok began to take part in the abolitionist movement.
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Resources
- Photo Credit JA1BSR, Wikimedia Commons, GNU Free Documentation License, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Undergroundrailroadsmall2.jpg
