The Underground Railroad (17 page)

The author outside the door of the house built and occupied by Dr. Nathan Thomas and his wife, Pamela. The house is located at 613 Cass Street in Schoolcraft, Michigan. It was built in 1835 and the living quarters were expanded in 1840, the year that Dr. Thomas married Pamela.

Dr. Thomas was the very first physician in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, an area roughly 580 square miles. As a frontier doctor, he was also a devout Quaker. His belief that God did not want people to be enslaved drove Dr. Thomas to risk his career, his life, and that of his wife to help and heal escaped slaves along their paths to freedom.

The Thomas house was purchased by the Schoolcraft Historical Society in 1975. The original house has been restored and the site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1.    
Mapping Your Route
—Trace or draw a map of the United States, and draw an imaginary escape route for the Underground Railroad using locations provided in this book. Write the names of these towns on your map. Where there are long distances between points (such as Freemont, Indiana and Westfield, Indiana) pick out small towns along the way where a runaway slave might be able to stay.

2.    
Read. Read. Read.
—There are many excellent books about the Underground Railroad. Some of the author's favorites include:
Henry's Freedom Box
by Ellen Levine,
Elijah of Buxton
by Christopher Paul Curtis,
Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr
. by Doreen Rappaport,
The Underground Railroad in Michigan
by Carol E. Mull,
Bound for Canaan
by Fergus M. Borderwich,
The Underground Railroad: Authentic Narratives and First-Hand Accounts
by William Still,
Harriet Tubman: Conductor of the Underground Railroad
by Ann Petry,
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
by Frederick Douglass. Visit your school or city library to see what books are available on the topic of slavery and the Underground Railroad.

3.    
Jargon
—People and places involved in helping slaves escape to freedom used terminology from the railroads. List the different railroad terms that were used in the Underground Railroad. What other activities use jargon or special terms?

4.    
Dreams
—This book touches on the topic of Tamika's bad dreams. Dreams can be frightening (like the nightmares Tamika had) or they can be strange or silly. Use a pad of paper to record your dreams as soon as you wake up each day. Can you remember some of them? Do they relate to things you do during the daytime? Would any of them make good ideas for stories?

5.    
Antagonists
—There are several antagonists in this book. Antagonists are opposing people or forces. Sometimes young readers or writers think antagonists are always the “bad” guy in a story, but an antagonist can be anything. One of the author's favorite antagonists is FEAR. Tamika's fear and how she overcomes it help to make the story interesting. Create your own list of antagonists from the story. Can you use fear as an antagonist and write your own story? Start by thinking about what scares you.

6.    
Underground Railroad Sites and Historical Markers
—The next time you are traveling, watch for historical markers alongside the road. If you have the time, stop and read them. The information on these signs can provide you with information about the past, including information on the Underground Railroad.

7.    
The Ending
—The author decided to have a happy ending to this story. Can you think of a different ending? How many different kinds of endings can you imagine?

8.    
Research
—For the author, research is an enjoyable part of writing a book. Research is done in several ways. Certainly, there are books and magazine articles that are useful. The Internet can be helpful. Personal visits to historical sites and participation in historical events can also be interesting forms of research. If you were going to write a history of your family, how would you research the story?

9.    
The Critter Cam
—The Critter Cam was an invention of the author's imagination that helped solve a problem—how to examine a dangerous part of history without anyone getting hurt. Imagine there is a problem at your house; someone or something is stealing cookies off the kitchen countertop. What could you invent that might catch or stop the cookie thief? What could go wrong with your invention?

10.   
Surprise
—Readers enjoy elements of surprise in a story. For example, when the Critter Cam is spotted near Levi Coffin's house, a neighbor tries to shoot it. The surprise discovery and the action that followed as the Critter Cam was being chased added an enjoyable element to the story. The next time you write a story, think about how you might use surprise to add a little spice and zip to your work.

11.   
Other Names and Places
—Many people worked together to help those who tried to escape from slavery on the western route. So many, in fact, that it would be nearly impossible to include them all in one book. Many are known, but some remain lost in history. Consider reading about people such as: William Wilberforce, William Lambert, Henry “Box” Brown, Harriet Tubman, Giles Stebbins, Captain John Peter Lowry, Ashar Aray, Asa Bales, Seymour Finney, and Jonathan Walker (an interesting character who was involved in the Saltwater Railroad). Ask your teacher or librarian for other ideas.

12.   
Frederick Douglass Quote
—Mr. Douglass once said: “We have to do with the past only as we can make it useful to the present and the future.” What does he mean? Consider writing a paper on the meaning of this quote.