Fugitive slaves were reported in the American colonies as early as the 1640s; and escapes escalated with the growth of slavery over the next two hundred years. As the number of fugitives rose; the Southern states pressed for harsher legislation that they thought would prevent escapes. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 criminalized any assistance; active or passive; to a runaway slave—yet it only encouraged the behavior it sought to prevent. Friends of the fugitive; whose previous assistance to runaways had been somewhat haphazard; increased their efforts at organization. By the onset of the Civil War in 1861; the Underground Railroad included members; defined stops; set escape routes and a code language.
#1337603 in Books McFarland n Company 2001-05-09Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.95 x .49 x 5.90l; .53 #File Name: 0786410167184 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A Historical TreasureBy CustomerAn excellent resource for historical research and genealogy.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy CustomerVery informative.1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Good read. Good presentation of the reasons for Confederate relocation to foreigh countries and where they originated.By PNCBANKVery good. Much information that helped with a research project I am working on. Presents information not well known but for the Civil War history scholar. Lots of history and genealogy.
