The Underground Railroad
The underground railroad began in 1831. This organized and elaborate system Was put into place to help slaves gain freedom. it helped them across international borders, and slaves would go in several different directions like North to Canada, then South to Mexico and Spanish Florida, Indian territory in the West, The Caribbean islands in Europe. The states were this help the most was Kentucky, Virginia, and Maryland. when you got to the Deep South it was much harder for a slave to escape to do the rewards for capturing a slave being much higher. slaves were labeled as runaways, escapees and fugitives. well too anti-slavery believers this is what they thought, but in reality, they were freedom seekers. along the way there are people who wanted to help the freedom seekers by setting up houses along the way for them to stay. Although depending on when you were it became more difficult to find them. The fugitive slave act of 1793 was in place, and this made if harder and gave slaves fewer places to hide.
One important and famous person in the underground railroad system would be Harriet Tubman. Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland. She was able to escape to freedom in1849. Later she will become famous for helping people through the underground railroad. She risks her life several times going back down after escaping to freedom to help hundreds of people escape slavery through the railroads and safe houses.
Another important person involved is John Brown. Brown previously mention in my blog for his abolitionist movements helped immensely during the underground railroad. He was a wealthy businessman who sold his land in Massachusetts and moved his family down to upstate New York, more specifically lake Placid. He helped the railroad that led to New York and there he would help newly freed slaves, and show them there how to develop their own farm.
https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/underground-railroad
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