The Underground Railroad was a safe way to travel for slaves. It really isn't a railroad, it is just houses that are safe. The way the slaves knew if the house was safe, is because people hung quilts on a fence or in their window. If the quilt had a black or navy blue middle it was a safe signal. When the quilt was turned over it would have a red center which meant stay away. There were conductors like Harriet Tubman. She was a very important woman who pointed her gun at slaves because she wouldn't let one slave go back.
Michelle
The Underground Railroad was a way to help slaves. Some states like Indiana were safe. The people who helped the slaves were conductors. One of those conductors was Harriet Tubman. If a slave excaped and was caught, that person would probably be whipped. Some people like Quakers risked their lives just to help a slave get to freedom.
Michael
The Underground Railroad helped slaves get to the new land. A long time ago people used to own slaves. A slave is someone who works for you and never gets paid or gets to go home. Slaves were ususally black. One night the slaves planned a trip to Canada. Harriet Tubman was in charge. There were quilts used as maps and they used them to tell slaves if it was safe to stay at the safe house. A safe house is a place with trap doors for the slaves to hide. Most people in the North were anti-slavery. I think it's not fair to own someone else because we are all important!
Megan K.
The Underground Railroad was a safe place for slaves. There were secret passages in the houses. There were also escape doors so the slaves could get out of the house. The people would hang their quilts so the black slaves would know if it was a safe house. If the quilts were black, the slaves could come in and if it was another color, they could not go in the house. Sometimes they hid in a hay wagon so they could be free. Did you know the houses were called stations?
Mukund
The Underground Railroad was a way for slaves to be free. It was a secret way to freedom. For the blacks it was very important. Quilts helped the blacks by showing them the right way to go and it helped them by showing them if there were any safe houses around. But the law was that you were not allowed to help slaves escape, or your house or barn would be set on fire. The whites didn't know anything about the Underground Railroad.
Megan S.
The Underground Railroad was a long way for slaves to escape. It they got caught they would be sent back to work more. There were safe houses along the way to help the slaves. The slaves would know if the house was safe or not because people would put out a quilt. If there was a black or blue patch the house was safe. Any other color meant the slaves could not stay there. Harriet Tubman helped the slaves get to Canada. If you were with Harriet Tubman you did not get sent back to the slave owners.
Zyril
The Underground Railroad helped slaves get free. A lot of black people were slaves for white people. A lot of slaves tried to go to Canada. Slaves used quilts to tell them safe or non-dangerous ways to find safe houses so the masters would not find them. In the safe houses there were places so slaves could hide. Only some houses had an escape route.
Joseph
Safe houses on the Underground Railroad were called stations. The Underground Railroad was a way for slaves to be free. They hid in houses as they made their way North. The people in the stations used quilts to signal to slaves which way to go.
Christina
Quilts were very important at the time of slavery. The slaves used them to escape. This is how it goes. A little girl named Clara learned how to sew. Then she sewed a quilt that was a map to escape. Then all the ladies started sewing. Quilts were also signs. When the slaves were escaping and saw a quilt that was dark, they knew it was a safe house. But when they saw a light colored quilt they knew it meant don't come, it's dangerous.
Desiree
The slaves had a special way to get to freedom called the Underground Railroad. One part of the Underground Railroad was safe houses. Safe houses were houses which had secret places for slaves to sleep. Another part of the Underground Railroad was quilts. There were two kinds of ways for slaves to use quilts. One was that they used a quilt was they made a map so they wouldn't get lost. Another way they used quilts was the abolitionist would make nine patch quilts. If the center of the nine patch was black or dark blue it was safe for the slaves to come in. On the other side of the quilt, the center of the nine patch would either be red or yellow. That meant DANGER. The slaves often came bare foot, but at safe houses they would sometimes get shoes. They also would get their clothes fixed up or new clothes. They had to be very careful when they were traveling because slave catchers were all over the place. The slaves usually stayed at the safe houses for two nights then traveled on to the next one. That is how the slaves got to freedom.
Sarah
Then Underground Railroad is where slaves would go for freedom. It was a way to travel in secret. Some of the slaves were taken from their family. That was the sad part. They used quilts for a map. They also used quilts for signals. If the quilt patch was black that meant it was safe for the slaves. People would give the slaves a bath and give them clothes. Slaves would be told what house was available.
Ashton
The Underground Railroad is the path for slaves. It helped the slaves get out of slavery and there were safe houses on the way. If they saw a quilt that had a black or dark blue middle, it would be nice and safe. Harriet Tubman started the Underground Railroad.
Sharon
The Underground Railroad was a free path for the slaves. It was a secret from the white-people. The white-people, who collected slaves, had no idea about the Underground Railroad. Slaves traveled a lot without giving up. Some traveled barefoot, some traveled with shoes. They were very hungry. They had plans, but they had to change them and change them because white people were everywhere. Before they went any direction they looked if it was safe to go that way. It was very hard for them, but they wanted to be free from white-people. Even though it was uncomfortable they kept on going. Slaves made a map so they wouldn't get lost. They kept on going until they found Canada.
Clayton
I learned a lot about the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a path for slaves. The slaves used the Underground Railroad for a lot of things. There were houses with people who actually liked the slaves. They let slaves stay in their houses with secret rooms. When the slaves had owners the slaves sang songs. The owners thought they were happy, but the songs were secret codes to get away. The people who helped the slaves hung quilts. If the middle was black, the slaves could stay in that house. Most of the people who helped the slaves were preachers. Lots of the preachers let the slaves in their houses. There was a different kind of quilt that was a map. The map showed slaves how to get to freedom.
Elizabeth
The slaves worked very hard to get to freedom. The slaves wanted to be free and they kept a secret. They called it the Underground Railroad. To get to freedom the slaves had to run through the forests and see quilts. If the slaves saw a quilt with a red square on the uqilt it meant danger - stay away. If they saw black or blue it meant this house is safe, if you come to this house I will hide you and you will be safe. When the slaves wanted to get to freedom, Harriet Tubman helped them a lot. Harriet Tubman was what the slaves called "The Conductor". She helped them get free. There were a lot of safe houses to go to. But whatever safe house the slaves were closer to, they went to that one.
Ethan
The Underground Railroad was a safe way for a slave to be free. There were special signs for slaves. If it was safe to go into a house, there might be a quilt with blue or blace patches. Black or dark blue in the middle of the quilt stood for a safe house. There was another way quilts were used. It was a map. Most of the Northerners didn't like slavery. The slaves had to travel at night because the slave catchers would be asleep. Other people were trying to catch the slaves too because of the "Fugitive Slave Law". It said, "If you see a slave return it to its owner. If you help a slave to be free, your house will be burned down."
Anthony
Veronica
Daniel