CONTENT STATEMENT
- Following the War of 1812, Ohio continued to play a key role in national conflicts including the anti-slavery movement and the Underground Railroad.
CONTENT ELABORATION
Following the War of 1812, the nation quickly expanded, forcing the question of whether or not to allow the practice of slavery in the new states. Under the terms of the Northwest Ordinance, Ohio was admitted to the United States’ as a free state.
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 made it illegal to help slaves escape. While not all Ohioans were abolitionists, seeds of the anti-slavery movement were planted by local anti-slavery newspapers, helping to grow Ohio into a strong center of opposition to slavery.
The Ohio Anti-Slavery Society employed lecturers to travel across the state, encouraging Ohioans to join the abolitionist movement.
Ohio served as one of the main routes of the Underground Railroad, a system of secret routes used by people in the North and South to help slaves escape to freedom. Escape routes developed with safe houses where slaves could be concealed.
EXPECTATIONS FOR LEARNING
Explain the role Ohio played with the anti-slavery movement and the Underground Railroad.