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Historical Figures on

The Underground Railroad

Each student will be assigned a historical figure from the Underground Railroad to research. Use the Web sites below to learn more about your historical figure:

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

http://www.freedomcenter.org/learn/underground-railroad/people/listing.html

Pathways to Freedom

http://pathways.thinkport.org/library/people.cfm

Whisperers of Angels

http://www.whispersofangels.com/biographies.html

Read about a historical figure and decide for yourself if their actions were peaceful or violent, legal or illegal, effective or ineffective.¹ Check your e-mail for instructions on how to save a WORD attachment with an Action Table for you to use (see example below).

Date Your Name 4 –

Underground Railroad

Historical Figure: ______________

INSTRUCTIONS: Place an “X” in the column next to the words that you think best describe your historical figure’s actions.

Action Table

X	Action		Action	X
	Peaceful	Or	Violent
	Legal	Or	Illegal
	Effective	Or	Ineffective

Your Underground Railroad historical figure summary must start with a topic sentence. Include the name of your historical figure and why they should be remembered when studying the Underground Railroad. Write about why you think their actions were peaceful or violent. Also write about if you found their actions to be legal or illegal. This may require some additional research (check the additional Web links below). Finally, write a sentence or two about whether you believe the historical figure’s actions were effective or ineffective, and why. Students who do outstanding work may be asked to share their historical figure summaries at the Teamboard. All students are required to print and turn in their historical figure summaries for credit.

Additional Web links:

Whisperers of Angels – Opposing Forces

Includes several cases and laws.

http://www.whispersofangels.com/opposing.html

Underground Railroad Site: Fugitive Slave Bill of 1850

http://education.ucdavis.edu/new/stc/lesson/socstud/railroad/SlaveLaw.htm

Historical Figures	Student Assignment - TBA
Harriet Tubman
Frederick Douglass
Thomas Garrett
William Still
Samuel Burris
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper *
Dr. Bartholomew Fussell *
Phoebe Myers *
Samuel Green *
Abraham D. Shadd
Mary Ann Shadd
Henry Craig
Henry “Box” Brown
Lewis Hayden
William Lloyd Garrison
John W. Posey, M.D.
Alexander Ross, M.D.
Dred Scott
Robert Smalls

* = Elevated reading level.

Use http://www.thefreedictionary.com to look up new words!

Credits – Action Table concept:

¹ Chester County Historical Society (2003). Where would you draw the line? Web resource inactive (2007). Based on the book Over the Line by William C. Kashatus – Director of Programs at the Chester County Historical Society.

An integrated critical thinking, language arts, social studies, and technology exercise developed for 4^th graders at The Haverford School by Mr. Brown. (2007).