In support of the California curriculum, this lesson supports the following standards in History-Social Science and Language Arts:
H/SS Grade 5: Students understand the chronological order of historical events, recognize the complexity of historical cause and effect, and demonstrate skills in historical analysis, including the ability to: compare and contrast different historical perspectives of that period including the outlooks, motives and interests of slaves and slave holders and their effects upon political power and institutions.
H/SS Grade 8: Students describe the divergent paths of the American people from 1800 - 1850 and the challenges they faced with emphasis on the South, including: the institution of slavery, its effects on African Americans and on the region's political, social, economic, cultural development, different economic, cultural, and social characteristics of slavery in early 1800. the Abolitionist movement and its leaders.
Language Arts
Grades 5 and 8:
Reading - Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development: Students use their knowledge of word origins and word relationships, as well as historical and literary context clues, both to determine the meaning of specialized vocabulary and to understand the precise meaning of grade-level-appropriate words.
Reading - Literary Response and Analysis : Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of world literature.
Writing Strategies: Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays.
Writing Application: Students write narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive text of at least 500 to 700 words.
Speaking Applications: Students deliver well-organized formal presentations.
Return to Underground Railroad Lesson
In the 19th century, freedom for slaves required "international travel." Since the Ohio River was the dividing line between slavery and freedom, it played an important part in the long history of the fight against bondage. Perhaps the most dramatic protest against slavery, the Underground Railroad originated as slaves sought ways to escape the inhumane treatment of bondage. The existence of the Underground Railroad relied on concerted efforts of cooperating individuals of various ethnic and religious groups. With the assistance of the Quakers, free blacks, Native Americans, and abolitionists, slaves were able to gain their freedom. Neither an "underground" nor a "railroad", this informal system arose as a loosely constructed network of escape routes that originated in the South, intertwined throughout the North, and eventually ended in Canada. The term may have originated when a slave fled from Kentucky and took refuge in Ohio. His owner, bewildered after chasing him to the Ohio River, wondered aloud if the slave had "gone off on some underground road."
Canadian Connection:
Fleeing slaves headed for freedom in both Mexico and Canada; this lesson deals with those who traveled North, seeking freedom in Canada. They called Canada, "Canaan", or "heaven" as it was referred to in many of the spirituals they sang. As word that Canada had freed most of its slaves trickled down to the United States, American slaves began to follow the Big Dipper, or the "drinkin' gourd" as it pointed to the North Star and directed the way to freedom.
Return to Underground Railroad Lesson
slave- A person who is owned by another human being, and forced into the servitude of his/her master.
Abolitionist- A person who believed in or worked for the ending of slavery.
African American- An American citizen of African descent.
Spiritual- A form of music based upon spiritual or religious themes.
Province- The Canadian equivalent to a state.
Passengers - The escaping slaves.
Conductors - People who helped guide the slaves.
Agents - People who offered food, clothes, and shelter to the slaves.
Stations - Homes where the slaves could hide.
Return to Underground Railroad Lesson
On a map of North America locate the Ohio River, the Mason-Dixon Line, the Southern and Northern states as they existed during the 19th century, and the provinces of Quebec and Ontario in Canada. Describe and show the main Underground Railroad routes; i.e., 1.) the Easternmost route along the Atlantic seaboard, 2) the central route through Pennsylvania and New York, and 3) the western route through Ohio into Ontario.
Outline map of North America: http://www.eduplace.com/ss/ssmaps/northampol.html Use a constellation map or chart to locate the Big Dipper and the North Star.
Mt. Wilson Observatory Site http://www.mtwilson.edu/Services/StarMap/
The Changing Night Sky http://www.windows.umich.edu/the_universe/constellations5.html
Read one of the books such as Follow the Drinking Gourd by Jeanette Winter (1988) or Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky by Faith Ringgold (1993). Discuss the integral role of the North Star as a directional device for slaves as they escaped the South and traveled north. Explain that rivers usually flow south and that the slaves knew that moss grows on the north side of trees.
Play a recording of "The Drinkin' Gourd" and an example of an African American spiritual such as "Go Down Moses", "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", and "Get On Board, Little Children." Discuss the fact that songs were often used to convey messages or as special signals. Students may wish to learn the songs or to recite them in a choral reading.
Using a primary source or the book, Letters From A Slave Girl, The Story of Harriet Jacobs by Mary E. Lyons (1992), students read excerpts by slaves as they contemplate their escape. Students begin writing a journal from the perspective of a slave planning to escape. Journals should include thoughts and feelings prior to escaping, use of songs, how they will figure out how to follow the North Star and dangers they will encounter along the way.
Primary Source -
"At break of day she hid herself on the border of the plantation and soon fell asleep taking the North Star for her guide, she started on her way. Margaret had been missed at roll call the morning after her flight. When the hunter started, he led the old dog, expecting to find her in an hour or two..."--Adapted from: Eber Pettit, "Sketches in the History of the Underground Railroad" (Fredonia, N.Y., 1879).
Have students create a wanted poster or classified ad to include in their journals. (See p.89 in Letters From A Slave Girl.) Information about the runaway should include height, weight, approximate age, date and location of their departure, clothing worn, and any companions traveling with them. A monetary reward offer and a disclaimer statement should also be included.
Introduce the term "abolitionist" and have students read and discuss the contributions of this diverse group of people. Discuss the use of quilts as landmarks showing the signal stops along the Underground Railroad. Share the book Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt, (Hopkinson 1993). Have students design and make a quilt, either with paper or cloth material. Students should continue to write entries in their journals, continuing with the slave's perspective as they find freedom in the North. They should include a map of the route they decide upon. Students can also write a poem in the "I Am" format to add to their journals. In addition, students should use their journals to create choral readings and/or realistic drama presentations as a final evaluation.
Finally, ask students to respond, in essay form, to the following questions:
See the Internet for the following web sites:
A Modern Day Journal Retracing the Underground Railroad with Cheryl Brown http://rims.k12.ca.us/ugr/history/index.html
National Park Service, Underground Railroad Resource Study http://www.cr.nps.gov/ugrr/learn_a1.htm
Excerpts From Slave Narratives - http://vi.uh.edu/pages/mintz/primary.html
Return to Underground Railroad Lesson
1. Student journals represent Primary Source perspective... ___Proficient ___Adequate ___Somewhat 2. Quality of written expression is... ___Proficient ___Adequate ___Somewhat 3. Quality of oral persuasion is... ___Proficient ___Adequate ___Somewhat 4. Quality of dramatic presentation is... ___Proficient ___Adequate ___Somewhat
Return to Underground Railroad Lesson
Lesson by Sandra Boe, Teacher on Assignment, Inland Empire Consortium for International Studies, sandra_boe@sbcss.k12.ca.us
