Ellen Shea

Artifacts

Star Map

The slaves used the North Star, and the Big Dipper and Little Dipper in order to guide their way north. This artifact provides students with an example of what those stars looked like, and they could even try to find these stars in the sky by themselves.

“Follow the Drinking Gourd” Song Lyrics

This was a song the slaves sang about following the Little Dipper north to freedom; they referred to it as a “drinking gourd”. Students can study and interpret the meaning behind the lyrics, identifying the significance of the hidden meaning with these words. Students can even learn the lyrics and sing the song themselves.

Wanted Slave Poster

This is an example of a wanted slave poster, commonly found during this time period since many slaves ran away from their masters. Students could interpret the meaning of the poster and the effects this poster may have had on people who saw it during this time period.

Picture of Abraham Lincoln

This is a photograph of Abraham Lincoln, the President during the time period of the Underground Railroad and the Civil War. He was very influential in freeing the slaves, abolishing slavery for good during his term in office. Through studying this photograph, students can make inferences about what type of person President Lincoln was, and they can gain even deeper insight into his life and Presidency.

Slave Auction Poster

This is an example of an advertisement for a slave auction, which was commonly seen during this time period. By studying this artifact, students could interpret the meanings behind the poster, and interpret the attitudes that people held toward slaves. Students would then gain a deeper insight into what the lives of slaves were like back in this historical period.