USA HISTORY

LIFE IN ANTEBELLUM AMERICA 1807 1861

ABOLITIONIST MOVEMENT IMPORTANT FIGURES IN THE FIGHT TO END SLAVERY

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
In what direction did MOST slaves travel to seek freedom?
A
south by land or water to Florida
B
east by ocean voyage to England
C
north over land or water to free states and Canada
D
west by land to the undecided territories
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -Underground Railroad routes went north to free states and Canada, to the Caribbean, into United States western territories, and Indian territories. Some freedom seekers (escaped slaves) travelled South into Mexico for their freedom.

Detailed explanation-2: -African Americans fled slavery in the South for a variety of reasons. Brutal physical punishment, psychological abuse and endless hours of hard labor without compensation drove many slaves to risk their lives to escape plantation life.

Detailed explanation-3: -The majority of slaves attempting to escape from the South went to the North and many continued to Canada. Some runaways returned to their masters and others were caught by bloodhounds and slave patrols, accidents and informants.

Detailed explanation-4: -In general they fled to Canada or to free states in the North, though Florida (for a time under Spanish control) was also a place of refuge. (See Black Seminoles.) From the very beginning of slavery in America, enslaved people yearned to escape from their owners and flee to safety.

Detailed explanation-5: -Many former slaves, including historical figures like Tubman, used the celestial gourd, or dipper, to guide them on their journey north. The Big Dipper and North Star were referenced in many slave narratives and songs.

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