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the underground railroad (Who was part of the underground railroad?…
the underground railroad
Why were slave owners against the Underground Railroad?
Financial reasons
Slaves were very expensive, they cost around 2000$ each (around 40000$ in today's money) and when your 2000$ investment runs away you lose a lot of money.
Slaves were the backbone of the southern economy, without them the south would have next to no money
They were scared
After several slave revolts the slave owning southerners were very frightened of their slaves rising up
If slaves were able to escape so easily then what was to stop them from revolting?
Who was part of the underground railroad?
Conductors
Conductors were the people who guided slaves across the Underground Railroad some of the conductors, were former slaves like Harriet Tubman.
Slaves
Slaves fleeing through the Underground Railroad would be helped by conductors or escape on there own. Many escaped slaves went on to speak out against slavery or help others escape slavery
Some people would offer safety to slaves on the run by providing them with shelter and food, places like these were often signified by specific quilts hanging in the windows
Why was the Underground Railroad so useful in helping slaves escape?
Most slaves never went very far from their plantation so they weren't that familiar With the area. If they were able to enlist the help of someone who knew their way around the slave had a much better chance of escape
If a slave was led by people with connections that wouldn't have been available to them before it make escape more of a possibility
Where did slaves run too?
If a slave made it in to any of the free states then they would be safe Until the passing of the fugitive slave act which let people claim that any African American was actually their slave
After the fugitive slave act was passed Many slaves went to Canada for the best chance of safety