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Underground Railroad begins
1790: Isaac Hopper, “father” of the Underground Railroad, begins helping fugitive slaves -
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The History of the Underground Railroad
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First long distance route established
1820: Levi Coffin establishes first long distance route from North Carolina to Indiana -
Indiana Quakers hide fugitive slaves
1826: Indiana Quakers use secret rooms and false-bottom wagons to hide fugitive slaves -
William L. Garrison's anti-slavery newspaper crusade
1831: William L. Garrison’s anti-slavery newspaper crusade sways countless Americans -
American Anti-Slavery Society founded
1833: American Anti-Slavery Society founded -
NYC Underground helps 1,000 fugitive slaves
Late 1830s: David Ruggles and Isaac Hopper work together to build NYC Underground to help 1,000 fugitive slaves -
Ripley, Ohio becomes most active center
1840: Ripley, Ohio becomes one of the most active centers of Underground Activity -
Dawn Institute established
1841: Fugitive slave Josiah Henson establishes Dawn Institute, where fugitive slaves learn trades and adjust to free society -
Railroad lingo became coded language of the Underground
1844: As iron railroads spread across the North, the lingo of railroading—“stations,” “station masters,” “cars,” etc—became the coded language of the Underground -
William Still became one of the most important coordinators
1847: William Still became one of the most important coordinators in the country; when Henry “Box” Brown escapes by shipping himself in a wooden box, Still is there to open the box -
Thomas Garrett acquitted
1848: Thomas Garrett, one of the Underground’s most important stationmasters, is tried and acquitted of aiding fugitive slaves -
Congress passed Fugitive Slave Act
1850: Congress passes Fugitive Slave Act, mandating the return of slaves; spurring further Underground activity -
Harriet Tubman escaped
1850: Harriet Tubman escaped, became most famous Underground “conductor” -
Fugitive slaves began to publish their stories
1850: Fugitive slaves like Henry Bibb and MaryAnn Shadd began to publish their stories -
Violent resistance to Slave Act
1851: Violent resistance to Slave Act leads to “Christiana Tragedy” -
Northerners increasingly ignored federal law
1853: Northerners increasingly ignored federal law and supported Underground efforts -
Civil War began
1861: South Carolina troops fire on Fort Sumter; Civil War begins -
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African American soldiers fought for the Union
1861-1865: Though initially denied the right to bear arms in the Civil War, African American soldiers were now fighting for the Union -
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Important amendments passed
1865-1870: 13th Amendment frees African Americans; 14th Amendment grants citizenship; 15th grants voting rights; Underground Railroad’s “work is over”