How did geography affect the underground railroad?

Answer 1

A difficult and dangerous trip north to Canada became the dream of many slaves seeking freedom. Eventually a rescue route called the Underground Railroad was developed to help these runaways find freedom. But even with this route there were dangers around every corner. This unit study follows the trek of some of these slaves as they fight their way to freedom. With no maps and no clear directions the fugitive slaves would travel on foot through forests, sometimes they would hide in wagons to travel by day and through towns and then there was the waterways where they would wade, swim, raft and ferry across! The Great Lakes divided Upper and Lower Canada (now Ontario and Quebec) with the United States. There were only a few places where the lakes could be crossed. Slave hunters knew this and so they kept an eye on these towns. With the North star as their guide, fugitive slaves headed north, with hopes to find Canada and freedom. Since runaway slaves traveled at night so as to avoid capture, the North star was the easiest guide to follow. But what about cloudy nights when the stars were hidden? Sometimes they had a compass to help them find their way but other times they had to rely on other means of determining which way is north.