The Underground Railroad:

The Underground Railroad was an unofficial and secretive organization but also a highly organized and effective one that was dedicated to helping as many African-Americans escape Southern slavery as possible. Abolitionism, or the belief in freedom for slaves, began spreading rapidly due to the outrage caused by the Fugitive Slave Acts and works such as Uncle Tom's Cabin; however, the Underground Railroad explored a different kind of Abolitionism, because it proactively worked to free slaves instead of merely supporting laws that would lead to their freedom. Like many aspects of the Underground Railroad, its name can be deceiving because, in reality, the Underground Railroad is neither underground nor a railroad. In fact, the basic structure of the Underground Railroad was that escaping slaves would travel great distances during the night, sometimes led by a guide (called a conductor) and other times alone, and they would stop a safe house (called a station) during the day where they would be provided with food, shelter, and protection. On other occasions, slaves could get transported by wagon driven by a "station master," or someone who operated a safe house. Eventually, the slaves would arrive in the Northeast but they would often continue into Canada where slavery was illegal. Escaping slaves and the Abolitionist station masters had to be very secretive in order to avoid detection by bounty hunters because, if they were caught, slaves would be returned to their masters in the South where they would be severely punished and the Abolitionists who had aided the slaves would receive a heavy fine or jail sentences. The Underground Railroad was called "underground" because, due to its secret nature and effectiveness, it seemed as though the slaves were travelling underground. It was compared to a "railroad" because Abolitionists used railroad terms, such as calling safe houses "stations," guides "conductors," and routes "tracks," in order to keep specific individuals and locations a secret and the whole organization itself operated like a railroad. Unfortunately, due to its secretive nature, the exact number of slaves who managed to escape along its routes is still somewhat of a mystery. Many estimate the Underground Railroad was directly involved in the escape of 40,000 slaves while others argue it was as many as 100,000 slaves. Slaves encountered many problems such as hunger, bounty hunters, fear, and extreme punishment if caught; however, the fact that so many were willing to take the risk shows how truly evil slavery was. Once the Civil War began in 1861, the Underground Railroad lost momentum due to the loss of several key figures, such as Harriet Tubman who became a Union spy and nurse; however, the Underground Railroad was successful in its mission to end slavery because, by sending a strong message of determination to the South and uniting the North against slavery, it created a lot of the tension between the North and South that started the war. The people who dedicated their lives to the Underground Railroad also dedicated their lives to the exploration of freedom for slaves which has forever changed history.