How The Underground Railroad Worked

Summary

This video explores the history of the Underground Railroad, a secret network used by enslaved African Americans to escape to the free states and Canada. The video highlights the role of abolitionists, the challenges faced by escapees, and the key figures like Harriet Tubman who made multiple trips to help free others. It also discusses the legal obstacles, such as the Fugitive Slave Act, and the difficult life decisions enslaved individuals had to make in their quest for freedom.

Takeaways

• 🛤️ The video introduces a Reddit community for viewers to engage in discussions, feedback, and video suggestions.
• 🔗 Slavery's history spans across many cultures, including the USA's 246 years of slavery, which began in 1619.
• 🛶 The Underground Railroad was a secret network designed to help enslaved African Americans escape to free states or Canada.
• 🚂 The system was not a literal railroad but used railroad terms like 'agent,' 'conductor,' 'cargo,' and 'station master' to hide its operations.
• 🌌 Enslaved individuals used songs like 'Follow the Drinking Gourd' to navigate their way north, relying on natural signs like the North Star and moss on trees.
• 🧳 Escapees faced numerous dangers, including being recaptured due to laws like the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which enforced the return of runaway slaves.
• 🇨🇦 Canada was viewed as 'heaven' or 'the promised land' where enslaved individuals could escape U.S. jurisdiction and live freely, though racism still existed.
• 🦸 Harriet Tubman was a notable figure who made 19 trips on the Underground Railroad, freeing hundreds of enslaved people.
• ⚔️ The American Civil War, which was driven in part by slavery, led to the Union's victory and the abolition of slavery with the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865.
• 📜 With the end of slavery, the Underground Railroad became a historical chapter of resistance and resilience.

Q & A

What was the main cause of the Underground Railroad?

The main cause of the Underground Railroad was slavery, which existed in the United States for 246 years and led to many enslaved people seeking freedom.

When did slavery begin in the United States?

Slavery in the United States began in 1619 when 20 enslaved Africans were brought to the British colony of Virginia.

Why did slavery continue in the southern states after the American Revolutionary War?

Slavery continued in the southern states because their economy was built on agriculture, with crops like rice, sugar cane, tobacco, and cotton, which required labor that enslaved people provided.

What role did the Underground Railroad play in helping enslaved people?

The Underground Railroad was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to free states or Canada by providing safe houses and guides, known as 'conductors.'

Why were enslaved individuals from border states more likely to escape?

Enslaved individuals from border states had shorter and safer journeys to free states compared to those in the deeper South, making it more feasible to escape.

What challenges did enslaved people face if they tried to escape on their own?

Enslaved people who escaped on their own faced challenges like illiteracy, lack of maps, unfamiliarity with free states, and the dangers of traveling without guidance.

What is the significance of the song 'Follow the Drinking Gourd' for escaping enslaved people?

'Follow the Drinking Gourd' served as a 'musical map,' providing coded directions for escaping enslaved people to follow the North Star to freedom.

How did 'agents' and 'conductors' help enslaved people escape?

'Agents' helped enslaved people by informing them when to meet for escape, while 'conductors' guided them along the Underground Railroad to safe houses, or 'stations.'

What impact did the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 have on escaped enslaved people?

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 made it easier for slave owners to recapture escaped individuals, even in free states, pushing many fugitives to flee further north to Canada.

Who was Harriet Tubman, and what role did she play in the Underground Railroad?

Harriet Tubman was a former enslaved person who became a 'conductor' on the Underground Railroad, making 19 trips to the South and helping hundreds of enslaved people escape between 1850 and 1860.

Outlines

00:00

📢 Introduction to the Reddit Community

The video starts by introducing a Reddit community created for the channel, inviting viewers to join through the first link in the description. The community allows viewers to ask questions, discuss videos, give feedback, and suggest new topics. The video then transitions into the topic of slavery, its causes, and its long history across various cultures, with a focus on the 246 years of slavery in the USA. It highlights the beginning of slavery in America in 1619 when enslaved Africans were brought to Virginia, and how slavery expanded in the Thirteen Colonies before and after the American Revolutionary War, especially in the southern states where slavery became crucial to the economy due to its suitability for crop production.

05:02

📜 Life as an Enslaved African American in 1850

In 1850, an enslaved African American had limited options: endure harsh labor, brutal punishments, and broken families or attempt escape, which was extremely dangerous. Escaping was particularly challenging without knowledge of geography, literacy, or access to maps. The Underground Railroad played a significant role in facilitating escapes, especially for those near border states. Despite popular myth, the Railroad wasn't an actual railway system but a secret network managed by both black and white allies, aiding escapees in their dangerous journey to the North.

🌌 The Role of the Underground Railroad and Secret Codes

The Underground Railroad, neither underground nor a railroad, was a hidden network that helped enslaved individuals escape to the North. It was created by abolitionists in the early 19th century and included key roles like 'agents' and 'conductors,' who guided escapees. Escapees had to rely on secret songs like 'Follow the Drinking Gourd,' which served as 'musical maps,' guiding them north using the stars and environmental clues. Those escaping had to rely on their knowledge of these codes or hope for help from an 'agent.' However, trust was a major issue, as escapees had no way of knowing whether someone was a real helper or a trap.

🌙 Strategy for Escape: Timing and Secrecy

Escape was highly strategic, often taking place on clear nights, with Saturday being an ideal day to leave. This timing allowed escapees to travel undetected before any public notice could be posted. Winter was the best season for escape because the long nights provided more cover for travel. Groups had to remain small to avoid detection. After meeting the conductor at the designated time and place, the escapees would change into new clothes to avoid suspicion and proceed to the first 'station,' 10-20 miles away, continuing their journey with minimal knowledge of the entire operation for safety reasons.

🚂 Reaching the Free States and New Challenges

Upon reaching the free states, escapees believed they had found safety, but the reality was more complex. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 made it legal for escapees to be captured and returned to the South, and even free African Americans in the North could be at risk of being enslaved again. The law caused many escapees to flee further north to Canada, a place they considered 'heaven' or 'the promised land,' where they could live free from U.S. jurisdiction. While racism still existed, Canada offered better opportunities, allowing former slaves to form communities, vote, own property, and build a new life.

🏅 Harriet Tubman and the Legacy of the Underground Railroad

Harriet Tubman was a key figure in the Underground Railroad, making 19 trips from the North to the South to help free hundreds of enslaved people. The Civil War and the eventual Union victory, along with the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865, abolished slavery in the United States, ending the need for the Underground Railroad. Tubman and others risked their lives to free friends and family, cementing their legacy as heroes in the fight for freedom and equality.

Keywords

💡Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad refers to the secret network of individuals and safe houses used to help enslaved African Americans escape from the southern United States to the northern free states and Canada. Despite its name, it was neither underground nor a railroad. The network was run by both white and black abolitionists, and played a crucial role in helping thousands of enslaved people reach freedom, as highlighted in the video.

💡Slavery in the USA

Slavery in the USA refers to the institution that existed from 1619 to 1865, where African people were forcibly brought to the American colonies, sold, and enslaved. The video outlines the brutal conditions enslaved people endured, including forced labor and family separation, particularly focusing on the period leading up to the Civil War and the creation of the Underground Railroad.

💡Fugitive Slave Act

The Fugitive Slave Act, particularly the second one passed in 1850, mandated that escaped enslaved individuals could be captured in free states and returned to their enslavers in the South. It imposed harsh penalties on those who helped escapees, which made it riskier to be part of the Underground Railroad. The video discusses how this law prompted many enslaved people to escape further north to Canada, beyond U.S. jurisdiction.

💡Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman was one of the most famous conductors of the Underground Railroad. She escaped slavery herself and made 19 trips to the South between 1850 and 1860 to help free hundreds of enslaved people. Tubman’s bravery and repeated efforts are emphasized in the video as part of the larger narrative of the Underground Railroad.

💡Abolitionists

Abolitionists were individuals who advocated for the end of slavery. Many of them were actively involved in the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved people escape and opposing slavery through legal, political, and sometimes direct action. The video mentions that some of the earliest abolitionists lived in Pennsylvania and played a key role in forming the network.

💡Conductor

A 'conductor' on the Underground Railroad was someone who guided escapees to safe houses, often moving them from one location to another. The term is metaphorically borrowed from railroad terminology, emphasizing the secretive and organized nature of the escape network. Conductors like Harriet Tubman led groups of escapees through dangerous territory, as described in the video.

💡Station

A 'station' on the Underground Railroad referred to a safe house where escapees could rest during their journey north. These stations were often homes or buildings owned by sympathizers of the abolitionist cause, called 'station masters.' In the video, these stations are presented as crucial stops along the route to freedom.

💡Follow the Drinking Gourd

'Follow the Drinking Gourd' was a song sung by enslaved people, with coded lyrics that helped guide those escaping to freedom. The 'drinking gourd' refers to the Big Dipper constellation, which points to the North Star, a key navigational tool for those heading toward the free states. The video highlights how music played a role as a 'musical map' for escapees.

💡Promised Land

The 'Promised Land' was a metaphorical term used by enslaved people to refer to Canada, where slavery was not practiced, and they could live in freedom. Many who escaped the southern United States sought refuge there after the Fugitive Slave Act made it dangerous to stay in the northern states. The video emphasizes the significance of Canada as a safe haven for escapees.

💡Thirteenth Amendment

The Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1865, officially abolished slavery in the United States. This marked the end of the Underground Railroad’s purpose and ensured that those who had escaped or were freed would no longer be subject to enslavement. The video concludes with the passage of the amendment as a pivotal moment in U.S. history.

Highlights

Introduction to the Reddit community for the channel, where viewers can ask questions, give feedback, and suggest videos.

The Underground Railroad was not an actual railroad or underground, but a secret network helping enslaved individuals escape.

Slavery's history spans many cultures, but the 246 years of slavery in the USA is the most noticeable period.

The first enslaved Africans were brought to Virginia in 1619, marking the beginning of slavery in America.

Slavery was central to the economy of the southern states, where crops like cotton and tobacco were grown.

The closer an enslaved person was to the border of free states, the easier and shorter the journey to freedom.

Enslaved individuals relied on songs like 'Follow the Drinking Gourd' to guide them north when escaping.

The Underground Railroad involved abolitionists and freed African Americans who helped others escape slavery.

Key roles in the Underground Railroad system included 'agents,' 'conductors,' and 'station masters,' all with coded names.

The 1850 Fugitive Slave Act made it more dangerous for escapees and even free African Americans in the north.

Many escapees fled to Canada, also referred to as 'heaven' or 'the promised land,' to avoid recapture.

In Canada, former enslaved individuals could earn a living, vote, and own property, despite lingering racism.

Some escapees became 'conductors' themselves, risking their lives to return south and rescue others.

Harriet Tubman, one of the most famous conductors, made 19 trips to the South, freeing hundreds of enslaved people.

Slavery was a key cause of the American Civil War, and its end in 1865 marked the permanent abolition of slavery in the USA.

Transcripts

Before this video starts, I would like to introduce the Reddit community I created for

this channel, where you can ask questions, discuss videos, give feedback, suggest videos

and much more.

Join by pressing the first link in the description down below.

To properly understand how the underground railway worked, we first have to know what

caused it, and that is, slavery.

Slavery's history spans many cultures, nationalities, and religions from ancient times and, unfortunately,

today.

From all the enslavement periods throughout our history, one is the most noticeable: the

two hundred forty six years of slavery in the USA.

The starting point of slavery in America was in sixteen nineteen, when twenty enslaved

Africans were brought to the British colony of Virginia.

Over the next decades, hundreds of thousands of people were sold or kidnapped from Africa

and shipped to Thirteen Colonies, then forced into slavery.

After the American Revolutionary War, some northern states abolished slavery, while the

southern states had an economy built on it, because the south had a perfect climate and

available land to grow crops like rice, sugar cane, tobacco, and cotton.

Until eighteen fifty, the balance was kept between the free states and the slave states.

But, after the half of the nineteenth century, the situation tilted the balance in the favor

of the Union, because these five free states joined the US.

But, for the purpose of this video, we are going to look at what an enslaved African

American's life was like in the year of eighteen fifty, when the balance was still maintained.

Back then, he didn't have many choices in life.

He could remain on his owner's plantation, work six days a week from sunrise to sunset,

regarding himself to a life of harsh and painful labor, barbaric physical punishment, and possibly

a broken family as he watched his loved ones be sold away.

Not all enslaved people had the same life, but this was what he might expect if he remained

in bondage.

Or he could try and run away, but escaping was anything but easy.

So, due to hard labor and punishments, an enslaved individual decides to leave.

The closer he is to the border between the free states and the slave states, the easier

it is.

This is why from the estimated a hundred thousand people who escaped through The Underground

Railroad many of them were from the border states because the journey was much shorter

and safer and thought once they arrived north, they were free.

On the other hand, African Americans from the south had way longer journeys until the

north and probably many of them did not know free states existed.

As an enslaved individual, knowing how to read or write was a crime, so without any

maps, not knowing where to head, escaping alone was very difficult.

This being said, this is where the underground railroad comes into the story.

As its name says, this route was made of many underground ghost train stations that led

to the far north, even Canada, or it least this is what the myth says.

In reality, it was neither underground nor a railroad, but a secret network, who was

not run by a single organization or a person.

It was run by both white and black people, who tried rescuing individuals to far north.

This system had a well-defined structure and certain people had certain roles, whose names

were coded so masters and owners of enslaved people wouldn't be aware of this secret route.

It is believed that the underground railroad was created shortly before the beginning of

the nineteenth century by abolitionists many of which lived in Pennsylvania.

Many abolitionists or people who were enslaved but escaped on their own joined the network.

One of the most important roles in this system was "the agent", who was a person that went

to plantations to try and help the enslaved ones escape by telling them to meet at a certain

time near the plantation with a "conductor", who was a guide.

Here, the first issue comes into the equation.

What if no "agent" came?

In this case, they had to escape on their own, but remember that they didn't have any

maps and most of them were illiterate, so without some outside help this was very unlikely.

But, at least, they had...songs, as they were transmitted from generation to generation

and contained hints that helped the escapees go north, so they were something like "musical"

maps.

Lyrics from "Follow the Drinking Gourd" are a guide for people who wanted to escape and

even the title means; "Follow the North Star".So, if the enslaved is alone, that's kind of the

only thing that helps him.

He had to leave at night and travel until the sunrise, rest in the day,and then again,

when night came, follow the north star, and moss on trees to go north and hope for the

best.

Although going alone was not the best option, if one wanted to escape from bondage, he had

to go on his own or wait for "an agent" to come, but he didn't know if somebody would

ever try and rescue him.

And if somebody came, how could the enslaved individual know if the supposed agent was

trustworthy?

Alright, now let's imagine that a true agent came, now, what next?

Generally, agents usually pretended to be enslaved to enter plantations and tell the

others the date when they would have to escape.

The perfect time would have been on a clear night on Saturday because masters would have

to wait until Monday morning to place an announcement in the newspaper that one escaped.

The best season to try and escape was late fall or early winter, because the longer the

nights, the more ground the escapees could cover.

Groups couldn't be too big because they could get spotted easier.

After the meeting point and time were set, they had to wait, act normally and when the

night came, leave.

At the meeting point, they would find the conductor, where they will change their clothes

because back then a group of African American people with dirty clothes would look very

suspicious.

Then, the guide would lead them through the night until the first "station", which was

10-20 miles away.

In case you didn't realize yet, each of the roles involved in this system had coded names

that would have normally been used in a railroad system.

The "cargo", or the escapees will wait at a "station", which is owned by a "station

master", who is the owner of the safe house until the next "conductor" will come to move

the cargo further north.

To reduce the risk of infiltration, many people associated with the Underground Railroad knew

only their part of the operation and not of the whole scheme.

This process was repeated many times until the escapees finally arrived in the free states,

where they could enjoy the freedom and never get enslaved again...

Oh, wait, what's that?

It's the year eighteen fifty and the second fugitive Slave Act passed?

This basically encouraged capturing escapees and sending them back to the south.

The penalties were harsher for the people who hid fugitives, but it also created controversy.

A free African American black man in the north could be considered an escapee, therefore

he could get enslaved and get sent to the south.

A fugitive slave act was previously passed in seventeen ninety-three, but this second

one made many escapees go even more north, to Canada, or how it was called by enslaved

individuals in the south, "heaven" or "the promised land".

There they could avoid U.S. jurisdiction and slavery wasn't a thing there, although racism

still existed.

Black people who were once enslaved formed communities and men had the right to vote

and right to own property.

All black persons could earn a living, get married, and start a family.

With assistance from Canada’s government and abolitionist societies in Canada and the

United States, building a new life was possible.

But, for some, this wasn't enough.

They wanted to help.

Some became "conductors" and went back to the south to try and free their friends and

relatives.

One of the most courageous and famous people during these times was Harriet Tubman.

Between 1850 and 1860, Tubman made 19 trips from the North to the South following the

Underground Railroad and set free hundreds of enslaved people.

Slavery was one of the primary causes of the American Civil War, and both the victory

of the Union and the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865 ended slavery in the United

States forever, and with it, the Underground Railroad, became... history...