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Clintonville Underground Railroad – DQ

1. Assisting runaway fugitive slaves was against the law. Why would some people (both whites and free blacks) in the North risk everything to be involved with the Underground Railroad and help fugitive slaves escape to Canada?

2. How did the geography of the Clintonville area (and Ohio) contribute to its prominent role on the Underground Railroad? What was the major route than ran through Columbus?

3. Jason Bull’s own congregation was divided on the issue of assisting fugitive slaves. How could members of the same church see different viewpoints on this issue? How does this, in turn, represent viewpoints around the nation at the time?

4. How and why did the Fugitive Slave Law come about? Laws are supposed to protect the citizens’ rights, provide benefits, and assign responsibilities. Did the Fugitive Slave Law meet these criteria? Why or why not?

5. In the video segment, Ed Lentz notes that there is a lot of mythology about the Underground Railroad in Ohio. What makes it difficult for historians to document and verify participation in the Underground Railroad?