Injustice: Standing up for one Another

The Underground Railroad was one of the most remarkable protests against slavery in United States history. It was a fight for personal survival, which many slaves lost in trying to attain their freedom. Slaves fought for their own existence in trying to keep with the traditions of their homeland, their homes in which they were so brutally taken away from. In all of this turmoil however they managed to preserve the customs and traditions of their native land. These slaves fought for their existence and for their cultural heritage with the help of many people and places along the path we now call the Underground Railroad.

Frederick Douglass, when enslaved and treated extremely inhumanely, managed to find himself fighting back against his white overseer (Doc. G). Fighting back became a widespread tactic to shut down the support for slavery, whether it was through subtle disobedience or physical resistance. There was also support through media, which protected and informed blacks. There were advertisements for Uncle Tom's Cabin directed toward the black community for sale. Posters existed to warn free blacks of white officers (Doc. I), showing how even when trying to find freedom, slaves were still hunted down and denied their basic rights.

The Underground Railroad was a huge success lasting for decades and freed around one hundred thousand slaves by 1850 (History.com). The events of the railroad happened all over the country, each trip different and all routes kept secret, but slaves from the South would escape in small groups of three to five in an attempt to pass the Ohio River to Northern Free states. Slaves mainly traveled by foot in small groups, occasionally a slave would travel by boat or train, but wagon or foot was easiest as the night provided cover and there were set up safe houses (Wikipedia). The underlying causes of the Underground Railroad was as a means of escape from the harsh lives most slaves lived. The events that caused the construction of the Underground Railroad are unknown but is believed to be started by Quakers in the late 1700s (History.com). The Underground Railroad was a huge success bringing thousands of slaves into freedom a year, giving them hope for a better

The Underground Railroad was a path to safety and freedom for thousands of slaves before the Civil War. Escaping from the chains, confinement and abuse of slavery was no easy task and it took the cooperation of many people

also the value of non-violent resistance supported by the transcendentalists and, There were many prominent figures in the Abolition movement that made great strides to freedom. Most took the route of political campaigning, but a few decided to take a more direct approach. One said individual is John Brown. John Brown was a white abolitionist born in Connecticut who simply grew tired of the pacifist approach and took up arms with a few volunteers against slavery.

Thousands of enslaved african americans lived in the south and was ⅓ of the south’s population, slavery violated the rights of human rights of thousands of african americans. If it wasn't for Abraham Lincoln and thousands of his supporters, The underground railroad saved the lives of thousands of african americans. The most famous legend is Harriet Tubman, she herself saved the lives of thousands and was

The Underground Railroad was a passage to freedom for the slaves which made the slave-owners exasperate. The slaves had to risk their lives while travelling to the northern states but it was worth it as the result of such hard work was freedom. The underground railroad, a secret network running from the Deep South through the free states and to the Canadian border that helped slaves escape from the slave-holding states before the Civil War, allowed abolitionists and their allies to help runaway slaves, made "conductors" like Harriet Tubman famous, and reached its height after the passage of the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act.

During the 19th century, over 100,000 slaves from southern plantations within the United States achieved their freedom through the Underground Railroad. This system of hiding and aiding a slave in order to achieve their freedom was attributed greatly to the sacrifices of many Americans. Most of the locations of the Underground Railroad are continuously a secret to this day. Many white Americans and already free slaves risked their lives to help other slaves escape the harsh conditions of their plantations in the south. Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass were two major influences to the success of the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad benefitted the African Americans by giving them hope, and most importantly freedom. If not for the Underground Railroad, the abolition of slavery would not have become a reality and slavery would have flourished and continue to spread into the newly added territories of the United States.

Escape was a critical threat to the stability of slavery. Many slaves that would run away would escape the plantation for a few days and then come back, just to make their owners angry. The other runaway slaves that actually seeked permanent freedom faced many obstacles on the way to their prize. Slaves usually did not have basic knowledge of geography that went beyond their plantation, the only thing they knew was that the North meant happiness and freedom. Each year, about 1,000 slaves reached the North or Canada. Most slaves escaped from the Upper South states, there it was easier to reach the Northern states. In the South, runaway slaves usually went to places where they could easily fade in with the free black community. The Underground Railroad, a small system of sympathetic white and black abolitionists, helped slaves get away from their masters clutch.

A strong and powerful lady said these wise words: “There was one of two things I had a right to, liberty or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other; for no man should take me alive; I should fight for my liberty as long as my strength lasted, and when the time came for me to go, the Lord would let them take me”. The brave women who said these words were Harriet Tubman and she was one of the leaders of the Underground Railroad that helped slaves reach freedom. “Although not an actual railroad of steel rails, locomotives and steam engines, the Underground Railroad was real nevertheless” (encyclopedia The Civil War and African Americans 329) The term “Underground Railroad” referred to the

The abolitionist movement was an important time in American history. Abolitionists were people that opposed slavery which was an enormous problem in the South. African-Americans worked with white abolitionists to gain support and funds for the cause. Former slaves, white men, black women and all different types came together for the movement. Many abolitionists such as Sojourner Truth and Douglass were able to draw on their past experiences as slaves to tell about the horrible treatment of their peers.

According to Foner, the author of The Gateway to Freedom, there was a direct correlation between free blacks and fugitive slaves presence in the antislavery movement. Many people from many backgrounds helped fugitive slaves and the abolitionist development. There are many different actions abolitionists took to further their cause; some of the abolitionists were politicians, for example, William H. Seward and Thaddeus Stevens (19). Those who facilitated the U.R. fought for the abolitionist movement, they helped using many different means. Whether it dealt with the Underground Railroad directly or indirectly many abolitionists took part in helping. Some devoted their livelihood and found a job within the committees, for example being a lawyer or newspaper editor, some people elected their own time while still holding a job outside of the movement.

This groundbreaking operation left a huge impression on history by showing efforts to end slavery. During 1820 and 1861, over 10,000 sought their freedom through the Underground railroad (Waggner). It was the first real way in which a slave could escape their captivity. The end of the Railroad line represented freedom, and slaves were ready to go through what every sacrifice they needed to cross that finish line (Williams). This operation brought the abolitionist cause to life as it brought slaves a step closer to their justice. Abolitionists, such as Harriet Tubman, helped hundreds of slaves to freedom through the secret operation and never failed a single one of them. She was helped by another famous conductor, William Still, who was one among the 3,000 associated in the operation of the Underground Railroad. Furthermore, people like John Fairfield, Levi Coffin and William Jackson helped many slaves by providing slaves with aid in hiding and escaping without living a single trace. Overall, the Underground Railroad influenced a great number of people to see the horrors behind slavery and helped slaves break free of their unruly imprisonment. People, white and colored, joined forces to help those in need of protection and saving. The Underground Railroad proved that slaves would do anything in their power to reach their liberty. Through all the risks

Slavery has always been an anomaly, although abolitionists such as Harriet Tubman did much to ameliorate, and later, abolish slavery. Harriet was a strong 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.

In times of peril, a hero rises to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Movies tell us heroes are from a different world, wear a suit of armor/cape, or wield superhuman abilities; however, real-life heroes do not fit that mold. In reality, heroes, come in many forms and need little more than courage and boldness to do what is right when no one else will.