How were underground railroads invented?

The Underground Railroad was a network of people, African American as well as white, offering shelter and aid to escaped slaves from the South. It developed as a ... In the deep South, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 made capturing escaped slaves a lucrative business, and there were fewer hiding places for them. read more

The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early-to-mid 19th century, and used by African-American slaves to escape into free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. read more

Underground railroads weren’t actually railroads. They were networks of people willing to assist fugitives escaping from slavery. Few records were kept, but groups seemed to have one conductor—someone who could escort the fugitives from place to place. read more