The Underground Railroad was a large group of people who secretly worked together to help slaves escape slavery in the South. Despite its name, the Underground Railroad had nothing to do with actual railroads and was not located underground (www.freedomcenter.org). The Underground Railroad contributed to the movement of hundreds of slaves northward each year. The South is estimated to have lost 100,000 slaves between 1810 and 1850 (www.pbs.org). The Underground Railroad got its name from two events involving masters pursuing slaves. In 1831, a slave escaped to Ohio and had to swim across the Ohio River because it was the only way to escape his master. His master got into a small car and continued to follow him. The slave reached the shore and then disappeared. Unable to find him, his master told his friends that “he must have taken an underground path”. Eight years after this incident, he spoke about the torture of a captured slave. The reporter said he talked about an underground railroad to Boston. This is how the Underground Railroad became the Underground Railroad, although it did not deal with railroads or subways (The Underground Railroad by: Shaaron Cosner). The Underground Railroad began in the late 18th century, by which time slavery had been abolished. in all the northern states. The Underground Railroad was most prevalent in the three decades following the Civil War. When the North moved to abolish slavery, the South responded by passing laws prohibiting helping slaves escape and rewards began being offered to anyone who managed to return a slave to his master . By 1807, slaves could no longer be brought into the country, causing the value placed on slaves to skyrocket. The Underground Railroad... middle of paper ...... uh. The songs spoke of “coming home” or “being on my way to the land of Canaan.” People generally thought they were singing about dying and going to heaven, but in reality they were singing about traveling north to Canada and freedom (www.pathways.thinkport.org). The Quilt Code was another way for them to communicate. They used different geometric patterns in quilts to convey messages via the Underground Railroad (www.ugrrquilt.hartcottagequilts.com). There were different models that a seamstress sewed on there. She would make a sample quilt that the slaves could memorize, then make large quilts to hang in the window, etc. The key model meant gathering your tools and preparing yourself physically and mentally. The cart wheel signified packing your belongings, while the symbolized bear's paw follows the literal footprints of the bear. Tumbling blocks meant packing up and leaving.