Underground Railroad CommonLit Quiz

What was the primary purpose of the Underground Railroad in the 1850s and 1860s?

• To provide a secret way for slaves to escape from the South to freedom in the North

• To transport goods secretly between the North and the South

• To organize protests against slavery in the United States

• To serve as an actual railroad for public transportation

What does the term "station" refer to in the context of the Underground Railroad?

• A place where trains stop to pick up passengers

• A code name for safe places to rest and eat before continuing the journey to freedom

• The final destination for slaves escaping to the North

• A meeting point for abolitionists to plan their strategies

According to the passage, how did lighter-skinned African Americans sometimes assist in the Underground Railroad?

• By working as conductors on actual trains

• By pretending to be slave owners to prevent the capture of fugitives

• By providing financial support to the movement

• By mapping out the safest routes to the North

What does the word "Content" mean as used in the document?

• In a state of peace, happiness, or satisfaction

• Ready to self-destruct

• A person who runs away from something

• To abolish or end something

What does the word "Bemused" mean as used in the document?

• Confused and also somewhat amused

• Extremely focused and determined

• Feeling content and satisfied

• Being in a state of anger or frustration

What was the estimated number of people known to have worked on the Underground Railroad between 1830 and the end of the Civil War?

• About 1,500 people

• Over 3,200 people

• Nearly 2,000 people

• Approximately 4,500 people

Who was the most outstanding "conductor" of the Underground Railroad mentioned in the text?

• Harriet Tubman

• Frederick Douglass

• Sojourner Truth

• William Lloyd Garrison

How many separate trips into slave territory did Harriet Tubman make to free slaves?

• 19 trips

• 10 trips

• 25 trips

• 30 trips

What additional role did Harriet Tubman serve during the Civil War?

• A nurse for the Union army

• A spy for the Union

• A general in the Union army

• A diplomat for the Union

Why did some Southerners feel they were being robbed of property?

• Because slaves were considered property and were being freed

• Because their lands were taken by the Union

• Because of high taxes imposed by the government

• Because of the theft of agricultural products