Part 1 : Background Information
1.The underground railroad was a an escape route to slaves in the Southern States.
2.The underground railroad started in the 1400s
3. The underground railroad was called “The Underground Railroad” because “underground”
meant it was secret and “railroad” meant is made a lot of stops.
4.Canadians helped the slaves escape.
5.A) stations/depots- Safety houses for the slaves.
B) stationmasters- Are the people that are in charge of the underground railroad
C) Stockholder- The person who gives slaves goods.
D) Conductor- The person who drives the train.
6. The first thing a slave had to do was find a way to escape without anyone knowing.
7. When the slaves escape they have to go north. To find north they look for the north star.
8. The” drinking gourd” was code for “ The Big Dipper.”
9. The north star was located almost directly above the north pole. The north star is the most
famous star in the sky. It is also one of the most brightest.
10.The slaves travelled at night to escape because they didn't want anyone to find out they
were leaving. So leaving at night would make everything dark and hard to see.
11. The underground railroad stations were pretty close together because they stations had
supplies that the slaves need very often so the stations were pretty close together.
12. At the stations the slaves ate and got good that they needed to continue on the journey.
13. The slaves travelled by foot.
14. Quilts played a role in the underground railroad because the quilts were codes that showed
the slaves that they were going in the right direction.
15. Some of the people who helped with the underground railroad was Thomas Garrett, William
Still, Harriet Tubman, Samuel D. Burris, and many more.
Part 2 :
I am so excited for tonight when I finally get to escape! I left at the second midnight
struck. I met up with other slaves that were taking the underground railroad. We walked to the
first station and got some water and blankets because it was getting colder as the night went
on. Our stationmasters told we would start travelling again tomorrow night ,because everyone
needed sleep. We slept in stations and depots. As I fell asleep, I imagined how it was like to be
free! I couldn't wait until tomorrow night began.
In the morning I woke up re-energized and ready for the rest of the journey. I was
walking, minding my own business when a lady bumped into me. She was carrying a baby on
her hip, that looked like it had cried for days. I introduced myself. “Hello, my name is Harriet,
what is your name?”, I asked. She looked a bit confused. After a while she said “Hello my name
is Jane Lewis. My son’s name is William”, she explained. Jane and I were quiet until William
started to cry. To me he seemed young to talk, but I guess he did because, he whispered
something in his mothers ear. “ Mama, are we almost done being captive and are we almost
free?”he says quietly. “ Yes, we are just following the North Star, and their is only a certain
amount of time left, from when we can become officially free.”
As we kept walking our stationmasters noticed that we were all getting very tired. At the
next stop, they explained that our walking portion was almost finished and that we were going to
board a ship soon. Jane Lewis was beside me and her heard her breathe a sigh of relief. When
we left the station, it was only a couple of kilometers before the ship came into view. When we
boarded the ship, everyone was relieved. I sat beside Jane and William. When our crackers and
water came we ate in silence. After our meals we went to bed.
As weeks past, we kept being told “ we are almost there!, just keep going on our journey
peacefully.”FINALLY! we are here! We can feel the freedom! My life has officially changed!
I am free at last !!!
Mini Response
Canada’s role for the underground railroad was to help free the slaves from being captive. Most
runaway slaves ended up in Canada because they followed the underground railroad. The
slaves had the underground railroad to help them have freedom. Canada helped them out a lot.
If Canada didn’t exist there would be slaves until now. The slaves have a lot to thank Canada.
They helped people of different colour and different race.