The Underground Railroad

Lesson 1“Sweet Clara and the Freedom

Quilt”

Learning Team CYasheika Benford, Susan Highfield, Ryan Keller,

Karla Lewis, and Shay Sing

by Deborah Hopkinson

Students will read “Sweet Clara and the Freedom

Quilt”

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt

The book is the story of an African American girl's escape from slavery on a southern plantation.

Slaves in Virginia

1862

At a very young age, Clara is taken from her mother and put to work on the cotton plantation.

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt

Slaves picking cotton before the Civil War

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt

Like most slaves, Clara longs for freedom and, in her case, yearns to be reunited with her mother.

Harriet Tubman (far left) and family

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt

When the rigors of cotton-field labor overwhelm Clara, a kindly woman she calls Aunt Rachel trains the girl to be a seamstress in the main house.

Clara begins to put together a map-quilt, stitching in any information she learns from conversations about an escape route to Canada.

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt

Will the quilt help Clara escape to freedom and be reunited with her mother?

Quilt Project

Identify landmarks in the story that Clara could use on her quilt

Each student will create a quilt that describes the journey Clara might have taken

Identify various uses for quilts and describe the significance of Clara’s quilt

The Underground Railroad Quilt Code

Monkey WrenchPrepare the tools you’ll need for the long journey, including the mental and spiritual tools. Or (as a Ship’s Wheel), the pilot is prepared to begin the transport.

Wagon WheelLoad the wagon or prepare to board the wagon to begin the escape.

Bear’s PawTake a mountain trail, out of view. Follow the path made by bear tracks; they can lead you to water and food.

BowtieDress in a disguise, or put on a change of clothes.

CrossroadsRefers to Cleveland, Ohio, a destination offering several routes to freedom. It also signifies reaching a point where a person’s life will change, so one must be willing to go on.

Log CabinA secret symbol that could be drawn on the ground indicating that a person is safe to talk to. It also advises seeking shelter.

ShooflyPossibly identifies a friendly guide who is nearby and can help.

The Underground Railroad Quilt Code

Flying GeesePoints to a direction to follow, such as where geese would fly during spring migration.

Drunkard’s PathCreate a zig-zag path, do not walk in a straight line, to avoid pursuers in this area.

StarFollow the North Star. Worked in conjunction with the popular song, “Follow the Drinking Gourd,” a reference to the Big Dipper constellation.

The Underground Railroad Quilt Code

Leaders of The Underground Railroad

Levi Coffin

(“President” of the Underground Railroad)

http://www.indianahistory.org/pop_hist/people/coffin.html

http://www.waynet.org/nonprofit/coffin.htm

Levi Coffin (1798-1877)

young Levi Coffin

Mr. Coffin in his later years

Harriet Tubman

(“Moses” of the Underground Railroad)

http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/tubman/tubman.html

http://www.greatwomen.org/women.php?action=viewone&id=159

Leaders of The Underground Railroad

Harriet Tubman(1820–1913)

young Harriet Tubman

Mrs. Tubman in her later

years

Would You Have Helped?

Discuss whether you think you would have assisted in helping the slaves to freedom if you had been a free individual at that time.

Consider the pros and cons of your decision, including the dangers for yourself if you decided to help.

Are you sure?

Read the text of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850: http://www.usconstitution.net/fslave.html

The Slave Escape Route

Follow the journey of escaping slaves as they make their way through the Underground Railroad by clicking on this link: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/railroad/j1.html

Play the following interactive game . . .

Map of Escape Routes

The routes from safe-house to safe-The routes from safe-house to safe-house (houses where fugitive slaves house (houses where fugitive slaves were kept) were called were kept) were called 'lines'lines'. '.

Stopping places were called Stopping places were called 'stations'stations'. '.

How Did The Various People Work Together?

Those who aided fugitive slaves were Those who aided fugitive slaves were known as known as 'conductors'conductors'. '.

In order to keep terms as clandestine In order to keep terms as clandestine as possible, the fugitive slaves were as possible, the fugitive slaves were known as known as 'packages'packages' or ' or 'freight'freight'. '.

How Did The Various People Work Together?

Music of the Underground Railroad

Slaves were told to "Follow the Drinking Gourd" (the Big Dipper) to freedom. Look at the lyrics to this spiritual in the link below and see if you can decode the directions contained within.

http://education.ucdavis.edu/NEW/STC/lesson/socstud/railroad/lyrics_follow.htm

Other slave songs include:Steal AwaySongs mentioning Canada

To listen to an example of the slave song, “Hoe Emma Hoe,” click this link and press the “Music On” button: http://www.history.org/history/teaching/enewsletter/february03/worksongs.cfm

Music of the Underground Railroad (cont.)

Conclusion

The Underground Railroad was not an actual railroad. It was a complex network of individuals who worked together in secret to help slaves make their way to freedom. It was a process that required a coordinated effort from many brave people working together across the country to end unfair and cruel slavery practices.

References

Colonial Williamsburg web site: Slave Work Songs. Retrieved March 13, 2007 from http://www.history.org/history/teaching/enewsletter/february03/worksongs.cfm

Hopkinson, Deborah. 1993. Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt. Illustrated by James Ransome. New York: Alfred Knopf.

Indiana Historical Society. 2006. Indiana’s Popular History:: Levi Coffin. Retrieved March 12, 2007 from http://www.indianahistory.org/pop_hist/people/coffin.html

Info Please. 2007. Harriet Tubman. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. Retrieved March 11, 2007, from http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0849622.html

Levi Coffin House, State Historic Site. 1998-2007. Retrieved March 12, 2007 from http://www.waynet.org/nonprofit/coffin.htm

National Geographic web site. 2007. The Underground Railroad. The Journey. Retrieved March 13, 2007 from http://www.nationalgeographic.com/railroad/j1.html

Pocantino Hills School. 1998-2007. Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. Retrieved March 13, 2007 from http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/tubman/tubman.html

Signs in Stiches and Song. 2003. Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt. Retrieved March 12, 2007 from http://www.teachersandfamilies.com/share/ugrr/clara.html

References (cont.)

Tobin, Jacqueline L. and Raymond G. Dobard. 1999. Hidden in Plain View: A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad. Doubleday Publishing.

UGRR Menu Rail. No date. Music of the Underground Railroad. Follow the Drinking Gourd. Retrieved March 12, 2007 from http://education.ucdavis.edu/NEW/STC/lesson/socstud/railroad/lyrics_follow.htm

U.S. Constitution Online. 2006. Fugitive Slave Act. Retrieved March 12, 2007 from http://www.usconstitution.net/fslave.html

Women of the Hall. No date. Harriet Tubman. Retrieved March 13, 2007 from http://www.greatwomen.org/women.php?action=viewone&id=159

Mrs. Sing's Third Grade Class Web site

References (cont.)