William Still — The Underground Rail Road (1872)

Primary Source Comprehension • Approx. Lexile 950 • Tabs: Main Idea & Details, Inference, Vocabulary
(reads both excerpts)
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Primary Source Text William Still, free Black abolitionist in Philadelphia

Excerpt on Quaker Help and Meeting Houses

“Many of the routes which the fugitives traveled led through the settlements of the Friends. Their meeting-houses were often the first safe places to which the flying bondmen were directed. In these quiet homes the weary traveler was sheltered, fed, and comforted; and the Friends kept their secrets faithfully.

They asked no questions except such as pertained to the comfort of the fugitive, and they trusted no one with any knowledge of his movements who could not be safely confided in. The vigilance of the slave-hunter was baffled more than once by the calm and steady firmness of the Quakers.”

Excerpt Describing the “Railroad” System

“The Underground Rail Road was not an organized institution, but rather a general system made up of innumerable channels. Yet it acted with remarkable harmony.

From station to station the fugitives were passed on, often by night, from the cabin of a colored farmer to the house of a Friend; thence to a school-teacher, a minister, or some bold mechanic who regarded the law of God as above the law of man. Each gave his aid freely, often at the risk of heavy fines and long imprisonment.”

Comprehension Tabs
Questions in each tab may refer to either excerpt above.
1. What is the best statement of the main idea of the first excerpt about the Friends (Quakers)?
Main idea of the first excerpt.
2. According to the first excerpt, what kind of questions did the Friends ask fugitives?
Key detail about Quaker behavior.
3. In the second excerpt, which route for fugitives is described most clearly?
Detail about how the “stations” worked.
4. Taken together, both excerpts show that the Underground Rail Road depended mainly on
Main idea combining both excerpts.
5. What can you infer about why the Friends’ homes were “the first safe places” for many fugitives?
Inference about the reputation of the Friends.
6. The author writes, “The vigilance of the slave-hunter was baffled.” What does this suggest about the Friends?
Inference based on the phrase “vigilance…was baffled.”
7. In the second excerpt, why does Still say that helpers regarded “the law of God as above the law of man”?
Inference about values and motives.
8. The author states that the Underground Rail Road was “not an organized institution” but still acted with “remarkable harmony.” What is the best explanation of this idea?
Inference about how the “system” functioned.
9. In the passage, the word “fugitives” most nearly means
Vocabulary in context from both excerpts.
10. The word “vigilance” in the phrase “The vigilance of the slave-hunter” most nearly means
Vocabulary in context from the first excerpt.
11. In the second excerpt, the word “station” most nearly refers to
Vocabulary in context from the second excerpt.
12. The word “innumerable” in “a general system made up of innumerable channels” most nearly means
Vocabulary in context describing the “channels.”
You may answer questions in one tab or several tabs. Click Submit Answers at any time.