Internet Field Trip: Exploring the Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was neither underground nor a railroad! Don't let the name fool you: The "Underground Railroad" was a series of routes, which changed frequently, that slaves could risk taking so that they could make it to states in the North — and, hopefully, to freedom. If they didn't make it to the North, however, the cost was great: a return to slavery and, quite possibly, death.
Begin at The Underground Railroad Site, which gives general overviews of what the railroad was, its objectives, and historical background. Look at the map, which shows the general areas of many of the Underground Railroad's routes. Are any of them in your region?
Your students can have a firsthand sense of living through the era by examining historical posters. Students can create their own posters. Would they advertise for their lost "property"? Or, would they be among those who bought slaves and then paid for their transport to freedom?
That could be quite expensive, but as one of my students said, "How could I not help others, especially when I have my freedom?" There were true heroes who exhibited such humanity, like Levi Coffin, the "president" of the Underground Railroad. When you read this brief biography on Levi, you can easily see how lucky the world was to have had someone like him in it.
Now that your students have a strong background on the Underground Railroad, a final visit to the National Geographic's exploration of the Underground Railroad can allow your students a brief taste of what it was like for people to decide to change an escape to freedom. This is not a site that just opens up a page for you, but one where your students must make choices and follow along. Be sure to listen to the music, too.
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