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Defining Documents in American History: The Underground Railroad
Established in the late 18th century and running through the 19th century until the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, the Underground Railroad was a carefully organized and secretive network of routes and safe houses established to help enslaved African Americans flee their captors.
Since then, much has been learned about this system and its importance in the ending of slavery in America, and this edition in the Defining Documents series presents numerous first-hand accounts of how this network came to be, how it operated, and what its legacy was.
The Underground Railroad, as it became known after news articles at the time labelled it as such, was primarily run by freed African Americans, with the assistance of abolitionists and other sympathetic parties. Numerous routes existed, including to Mexico and the Caribbean, but the best-known and most widely influential ran to the north, where passengers on the railroad escaped to free states and Canada. By the mid-1800s, an estimated 100,000 slaves had used the network to achieve their freedom. How was the railroad run? What challenges did it face? What lasting impacts did it have on America as a whole? These questions and more are discussed in detail across these two volumes, using primary documents from the time as the source for in-depth analysis.
These volumes explore the development of the Underground Railroad from the early days of slavery to the present, where social movements still resound with the same call for equality as the railroad once did. Documents examined include legislative documents, political speeches, historical accounts, court cases, news articles, and more.
About the Series
The Defining Documents series provides in-depth commentary and analysis on the most important primary source documents in the United States and the world. The Defining Documents series is perfect for students, those researching a particular era, or anyone interested in world history. Visit www.salempress.com for more information about additional titles in this series.
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