Essay about The Underground Railroad - 1092 Words

Slavery was a dark time in America’s past. Not only did slavery separate millions of families, it destroyed the white man’s reputation to African people. Many slave owners treated their slaves well, many did not. They forced their slaves to live in deplorable conditions. Malnutrition and overworking often led to death. If you were a slave, would you risk it all and try to run away? You might not have a choice if you wanted to stay alive. In 1581, the first imported African slaves landed in the Americas. The Spanish brought people from Africa to work for them in Florida. In 1619, the first slaves were brought into the original 13 colonies. They were brought to America as indentured servants and released after they had paid for their†¦show more content†¦Runaway slaves needed to be dressed in better clothes, food had to be bought to feed them, even train tickets needed to be bought every once and a while. For the slave, running away was not an easy task. To begin with, a slave had to escape from their owner, sometimes very difficult due to dogs or fences. The runaway slaves had to travel ten to twenty miles each night to reach the next â€Å"station†. Each night was a night filled with fear because of slave hunters and spies. Lots of money could be made for turning in a runaway slave. Depending on your own luck and cunning, you either made it to freedom, or you didn’t. Some slaves were caught multiple times but continued to try to run for freedom. Conditions were not great either. The â€Å"passengers† often had to travel through rain, mud, washed out roads, bogs, rivers, and streams. Gaining freedom was not easy. There were many influential people during the time of the Underground Railroad. Some were African American and some were white but all of them were the faces of the Underground Railroad. Harriet Tubman was one of the many influential people of the Underground Railroad. Born a slave, Harriet Tubman was the â₠¬Å"Moses† of the slave community. She was beaten when she was young and suffered severe head trauma when she was hit with a heavy metal weight. As a result, she had seizures and headaches, as well as hypersomnia and visionary dreams ofShow MoreRelatedThe Underground Railroad Is Not Like The Railroad1387 Words   |  6 PagesThe Underground Railroad is not like the railroads that we see today, they were not made of box cars and rails. They were routes that the slaves took to get to freedom, these railways were built or used in late 1786 to 1865. They went from as far west as Kansas, and Texas and as far south as Florida, they all were made to go north to Canada, or to Mexico, or the Caribbean Islands where slavery is illegal. This was an impossible task for the slaves to do on their own. There were many factors on howRead MoreHarriet Tubman And The Underground Railroad1416 Words   |  6 PagesHarriet Tubman did much to ameliorate, and later, abolish slavery. Harriet was a st rong and courageous woman and a well-known conductor of the Underground Railroads, around the 1850s. Harriet Tubman personal experiences throughout her life have shaped her to become the stout-hearted woman who helped many slaves escape to freedom, by using the Underground Railroad—a network of secret routes. As described in the novel â€Å"In their own words: Harriet Tubman,† Sullivan introduces varies hard-ships that HarrietRead MoreHarriet Tubman And The Underground Railroad832 Words   |  4 PagesHarriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad Harriet Tubman was like a conductor on a train. Running the underground railroad to free innocent slaves from certain neglect. What do people think when they hear the name Harriet Tubman. some might think of her as a dirty black others might call her a hero, or moses. Harriet Tubman was a very brave, and courageous woman. In this paper we will explore the childhood, life of slavery, and how she came to be known as the women called moses. Araminta wasRead MoreUnderground Railroad - Original Writing1058 Words   |  5 PagesUnderground Railroad Junior Year in College Prep English they play this game called Underground Railroad. It is supposed to put you back when slaves had to go to safe houses and not be caught by the bounty hunters. I don t remember who all was on my team but each team had about 10 people, only 3 of us made it. It first started off with a puzzle that you have to put together in order to get an address. It said 108 S. Main St. We get to the house and ring the doorbell, no answer. The house looks vacantRead MoreThe Truth Behind The Underground Railroad1281 Words   |  6 Pages The Truth behind the Underground Railroad Ronald Payne Central High School November 9, 2015 2nd Period â€Æ' Abstract Many people know of the famous slave system called The Underground Railroad. Throughout this generations time in school this topic have came up numerous times in our history classes. They mostly talk about the surface of the system and how, the most famous conductor, Harriett Tubman freed the slaves. This essay is important because it will provide you with in depth knowledge andRead MoreThe Underground Railroad Movement Of The South855 Words   |  4 Pagesbefore they where stoped by the militia forces. the 1780 a movement had started called the underground railroad. The purpose of the underground railroad was to free slaves from the south. There were blacks and whits apart of the underground railroad. In the 1830 the underground railroad was moving, somewhere between 40,000- 100,000 slaves were set free. Harriet tubman was one of the leaders of the underground rail road. She would travel to the south to get the slaves and help led them to freedom. Read More The Underground Railroad: Escaping Slavery Essays818 Words   |  4 Pages The Underground Railroad was what many slaves used to escape slavery. It was not an actual railroad, although it could easily be compared to one. It was a route, with safe houses and many other hiding spots for the slaves to use. The paths had conductors telling you where to go and people who would drive you to the next safe house. You had to be quick, you had to be strong, and you had to be very courageous. The Underground Railroad led all the way to Canada. There were many people helping the slavesRead MoreThe Underground Railroad : The United States History1456 Words   |  6 PagesThe Underground Railroad is a popular topic in United States history, but many of the stories told about it are more myth than fact. Quilts have been often used as a symbol in children s picture books to further the understanding of one of the darkest periods of United States history: slavery. Parents and teachers have eagerly embraced these illustrated books as a way to understand and teach past turmo il. Many of these books suggest that people who participated in the Underground Railroad used quiltsRead MoreSigns, Symbols and Signals of the Underground Railroad Essay3216 Words   |  13 PagesSigns, Symbols and Signals of the Underground Railroad A journey of hundreds of miles lies before you, through swamp, forest and mountain pass. Your supplies are meager, only what can be comfortably carried so as not to slow your progress to the Promised Land – Canada. The stars and coded messages for guidance, you set out through the night, the path illuminated by the intermittent flash of lightning. Without a map and no real knowledge of the surrounding area, your mind races before youRead MoreUnderground Railroads And The Underground Railroad2187 Words   |  9 Pages Underground railroads were a network of secret routes and safe houses used during the 19th century slaves from African descent that were in the United States, and wanted escape to the free states and Canada. The safe houses located on these routes were run by abolitionists and people that were sympathetic towards slaves. The Underground Railroad reached its height during the 1850s and 1860s. It’s difficult to determine how many people actually traveled the routes and made it to freedom, but it is