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Chapter
1 - Did You Know That You Live Close To An Underground Railroad?
The
text in this chapter is in Q & A format. The 50 questions anticipate
what readers might want to know about the Underground Railroad in
general as well as specific operations in and near Illinois.
The
answers are constructed to provide basic information to the reader
who is new to the subject, plus more in-depth information for more
knowledgeable readers.
Chapter
2 - Take a Little Tour
The
text in this chapter features the Lincoln-Douglas debates. It focuses
on the relevance of the slavery issue to these debates, and gives
readers an eyewitness account of what it would have been like at
that time to travel and attend the debates.
The
chapter is illustrated with the photos of a sculpture which commemorates
one of the debates and with maps showing debate locations, and stagecoach
routes and railroad lines.
The
chapter ends with information on riverboats, covered bridges, and
other vestiges of those days so that readers who wish to can simulate
the experience of travel on the old highways and byways.
Chapter
3 - Where Were the Routes?
The
brief description of activities on a main route is followed by a
series of maps of Illinois Underground Railroad routes.
Chapter
4 - Find Your Closest Station
This
chapter is introduced with, "If you are in Illinois, you're not
far from a place where the Underground Railroad operated..."
It
includes an extensive list of Illinois place names where Underground
Railroad activity was reported, and an outline map for readers to
fill in with as much detail as they wish (e.g. rivers, railroads,
Indian trails, in addition to place names).
The
second section of this chapter consists of 50 photographs and/or
drawings of Underground Railroad sites. Most of these sites are
structures which served as 'stations'. Others are of natural hiding
places such as caves and tall grasses.
The
picture captions provide the reader with specific descriptions of
the site's role in the Underground Railroad operations.
Chapter
5 - Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
As
the title suggests, this chapter includes reprints of old newspapers
(e.g. The Genius for Universal Emancipation, Western Citizen, New
York Illustrated News), excerpts and reprints of pertinent handwritten
documents, and more recent news accounts of stories with present
day connection to the Underground Railroad.
As
with other chapters, the amount and type of background a reader
has will determine what he or she sees in this chapter (e.g. readers
without prior knowledge of the Western Citizen will read it for
literal accounts of Underground Railroad escapes. Readers who are
familiar with editor Zebina Eastman's relationship with the interracial
group of Chicago abolitionists will glean far more from its pages.)
Chapter
6 - Take a Walk In Their Footsteps
Interdisciplinary
activities in this chapter provide multiple means for readers -
particularly students, to work independently or in groups to vicariously
experience what it was like to risk everything by striking out for
the unknown as an Underground Railroad passenger, or by defying
laws to help an enslaved African reach freedom.
Social
studies, interpretive reading, science, math, art, creative writing,
drama, and music are the different avenues readers can explore and
share their insights.
Chapter
7 - Get On Board for More Adventure
This
chapter includes an annotated bibliography of Underground Railroad
themed children's books from the earliest books on the subject to
the mid-1990's. It continues with listings of on-line bibliographies,
and web addresses or phone numbers for accessing such related resources
as the National Park Service resource study, articles, videos, games
or tours.
It
lists a variety of topics for further study at libraries, museums,
bookstores and on the internet.
Old
photographs and drawings of Illinois Underground Railroad workers
(with detailed captions) illustrate this final chapter. The visual
epilogue is the photograph of the 'Forever Free' sculpture by Edmonia
Lewis.
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