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The name underground railroad
The earliest mention of the underground railroad was in 1831 when tice davis a former slave escaped from his owner and his owner blamed his escape on an “underground railroad”. This term was also used in a Washington newspaper in 1839 when a reporter spoke about an enslaved man named Jim who under torture revealed that he planned to go north following the underground railroad. -
Nat Turner's rebellion
After nat turner's rebellion laws became much harsher for african americans and they were threatened that if they didn't behave they would end up with their heads on a spike. This encouraged them to try and go to free states but they had to be sneaky about it so the underground railroad began. -
anti-slavery orginization
In 1833 three anti slavery organizations the quakers the garrisonians and the reformers all met with freed slaves to form an organization that would help stop slavery called the American anti slavery society. These groups tried to convince people that African Americans should no longer be slaves. John Brown, a member of this society wanted to purchase land in Virginia so slaves trying to escape would have a safe place to stay on their way north. -
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the gag rule
The gag rule was a rule that the government created so they could focus on other issues and not spend all their time debating the slavery issue. This prolonged slavery and that cased people get fed up and take matters into their own hands and finding their own ways to help slaves for example hiding slaves in your home or helping them travel at night through the underground railroad. -
seneca falls convention
Seneca falls conventions was a few of the first conventions to discuss the topic of slavery. Many members including the M’clintock family moved to upstate new york and pennsylvania they raised funds for the underground railroad and there home was on 14 east williams street which was considered a station on the underground railroad. -
Henry Clay's comprimise
Part of Henry Clay's compromise was initiating the fugitive slave act. This act made it so if you were fought helping slaves they would be sent back and get punished. This made it harder for slaves who were using the Underground Railroad and the people helping them escape slavery. -
Kansas Nebraska act
Kansas and Nebraska act this act determined which states were slave states and which states were free states. This made it harder for slaves who lived in slave states to escape. This also helped some slaves though by making states free states that they could hopefully escape to. -
Dred Scott desision
After the Dred Scott case where the Supreme Court said that African Americans could never become United States citizens. it resulted in many people being against this and made more people want to help slaves who were searching for a way out incressing use of the underground railroad. -
Emancipation proclamation
The emancipation proclamation was the beginning of the end of the Underground Railroad. it declared that all African Americans in the confederate states are free from slavery. Meaning they no longer needed to escape from slavery by going to northern or union states -
the 13th amendment
The 13 amendment fully abolished slavery declaring all African Americans free. this amendment meant there was no longer the need for the Underground Railroad.