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ESCAPED SLAVES IN CANADA.
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Examines living conditions for slaves escaped through Underground Railroad, compared to life in U.S. as slaves in South or fugitives in North.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Examines living conditions for slaves escaped through Underground Railroad, compared to life in U.S. as slaves in South or fugitives in North.

Paper Introduction:
The escaped slaves who fled through the Underground Railroad to Canada hardly found the promised land they might have sought or expected, but their experience in Canada was invariably better than they had had as slaves in the South or as frightened and endangered fugitives in the North. At its worst, Canada offered a more free and humane life than did the South under the horrors of slavery. Canada itself was never a major player in the slave trade, although slavery was legal in the nation until well into the 19th century. Still, it outlawed slavery more than twenty-five years before it was declared illegal in the United States, and its outlawing did not cause the national division it caused in the United States. Nevertheless, the "promised land" of Canada was still marked by racism and resistance to the influx of slaves fleeing the United States. While some blacks returned to

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. Canada itself was never a major playerin the slave trade, although slavery was legal in the nation until wellinto the 19th century. For example, the black population ofNew Brunswick doubled to 16 in the decade in question, and by 1861 blacksin Nova Scotia made up 2% of the population and Canada West's blackpopulation had quadrupled from a decade earlier (St. 1 . . Canada had legalized slavery in the 18th century, but by 1793 hadbegin to pass laws which gradually did away with that evil institution,outlawing it entirely in 1834. Henry Blue's brief account shows that he, too, found Canada to be apromised land: "Everything goes well with me in Canada; I have no reason tocomplain" (Drew 8). Heconcludes that in Canada I am now hiring a piece of land in Buxton. There is no doubt that a great number of slaves fled to Canada in thehope of finding a better life, which they did indeed find. . James 3).Clearly, again, whatever awaited the fugitive slaves in Canada was animprovement over slavery in the South or being hunted like animals in theNorth after 185 . Nov 1 , 1999.This overview of major events involving blacks in Canada from 16 4 through1996 is a useful reference resource, giving a broad picture of thetreatment of blacks and blacks' experiences in a nation which offeredslaves freedom and a better life.St. Still, as Stouffer adds, the response of many Canadians "to thefreedmen reveals a virulent strain of racism that helps explain why BritishNorth Americans were slow" in joining the anti-slavery movement (Stouffer1). Thomas enters Canada, serves as a soldier andthen as a "physician" (applying his knowledge of herbs and roots). He refuses and the overseer "made to me with his bull whip, verylong, and struck me with the butt" (Drew 3). Fugitive slave Harry Thomas reports numerous beatings and otherhorribly inhumane treatment he received from those who "owned" him inslavery. James 1). I have got a little property together, worth some two thousand dollars. . James African Methodist Episcopal Church. Nevertheless, the "promised land" of Canada was still marked byracism and resistance to the influx of slaves fleeing the United States.While some blacks returned to the United States after the Civil War and theend of slavery, many remained in Canada and both benefited from the betterconditions in that country (even after the end of slavery in the UnitedStates) and contributed to the culture and society of their new nation,Canada. . . The testimony of fugitive slave Edward Hicks reveals clearly, as withthe other slaves providing accounts in Drew's work, that the life of theslaves in the South under slavery and even in flight in the North was arelative hell on earth compared to what they experienced in Canada, despitethe aforementioned racism of many Canadian individuals and institutions. Benjamin Drew provides a number of personal accounts of fugitiveslaves who had fled slavery in the south, then persecution in the North,and finally settled in Canada. My health is good, and the climate agrees with me--and it does with colored men generally. played crucial roles in the antislavery movement, particularly during the hiatus between the premature collapse of the upper Canada Anti-Slavery Society in the late 183 s and the formation of the Anti-Slavery Society of Canada at mid-century (Stouffer 1). If not a "promised land," Canada proved to be a reasonable facsimilefor the fugitive slaves from the United States. 185 )." wysiwyg://391/http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/D/1826- 185 /slavery/fugit 1.htm. My calculation is, if I live, to own a farm if I can. As Stouffer writes: Ontario abolitionists sought to enlist public support in the growing international crusade against slavery by organizing antislavery societies, and, through other institutions such as the Elgin Association. As a slave, Hicks is ordered to bite the head off a worm and suck theinsides out after he missed seeing the worm as he worked in a tobaccofield. Slavery is barbarous. My opinion of slavery is that it ought to be broken down (Drew 7). 1999.This review of Stouffer's work emphasizes the mixed reception the fugitiveslaves received in Canada, the depth and organization of the anti-slaverymovement in that country, and the roots of that movement in England, wheremany abolitionists first fought against the evil institution.----------------------- 7 That hideous treatment is an important reason why every one ofthe fugitive slaves in Drew's collection sees Canada in such a good light,despite Canadian racism. I like Canada well--I am satisfied with it. Hicks flees without a plan,and eventually sees that freedom involves more than merely getting awayfrom one evil overseer. In fact, fugitive slaves fled to Canada much earlier than 185 , butthat decade began a watershed decade for runaway slaves because of thepassage of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1848 and the Compromise of 185 whichput teeth into the Fugitive Slave Act.Slavery was outlawed in the North, and although many whites in the Northwere not in favor of runaway slaves coming from the South, at least therewere no laws forcing blacks to return to slavery in the South, and whiteswere not legally required to help return fugitive slaves. . Annotated BibliographyDrew, Benjamin. Each of the accounts make it clear thatlife and work for them in Canada was far superior to life and work in theSouth under slavery and even to their experiences in the North, especiallyin light of the legalization of the hunting of slaves in the North. In regard to Canada, I like the country, the soil, as well as any country I ever saw. The colored people are trying to remove this by improving and educating themselves, and by industry, to show that they are a people who have minds, and that all they want is cultivating (Drew 11). The fugitive slaves in Canada did not merely find a nation tolerantof blacks, but found instead a nation where a significant anti-slaverymovement had long been active. Nov. The escaped slaves who fled through the Underground Railroad toCanada hardly found the promised land they might have sought or expected,but their experience in Canada was invariably better than they had had asslaves in the South or as frightened and endangered fugitives in the North. It is telling that many of the fugitive slaves in the narratives arenot merely grateful and appreciative, but also take the time to think ofthose still in slavery: "Some poor, ignorant fellows may be satisfied withtheir condition as slaves, but, as a general thing, they are not satisfiedwith being slaves" (Drew 8). In my view, slaveholders, judged by the way they treat colored people, are the worst persons on earth (Drew 14). Still, it outlawed slavery more than twenty-fiveyears before it was declared illegal in the United States, and itsoutlawing did not cause the national division it caused in the UnitedStates. "Testimony of the Canadian Fugitives (ca. Lifein the North for blacks after the Compromise was passed included evenlegally free blacks being captured and taken to South to be forced intoslavery. . I like the laws, which leave a man as much freedom as a man can have--still there is prejudice here. Individuals too . The FugitiveSlave Act and Compromise made Canada all the more appealing for fugitiveslaves. Finally, with much help in the North, he arrives inCanada and finds what to him, compared to the hell of slavery, is, indeed,a promised land: I have been here about six years. Clearly,this is a sign that life in Canada was indeed an improvement over lifeunder slavery in the United States or even over life in the North asrunaway slaves. Still, many Canadians who helped the fugitive slaves were formerlyBritish who had fought against slavery while still in Britain (Stouffer 1). In the early to mid-18 s "more than 3 , American Blacks escaped slavery in the United States and came to Canada."Not only were slaves accepted in freedom, the government and private groupsaided blacks in beginning to live better lives, although there remainedracist policies practiced publicly and privately: The Dawn Settlement in what is now Dresden, Canada, was established to provide self-help for blacks in agricultural communities. At its worst, Canada offered a more free and humane life than did theSouth under the horrors of slavery. "The Light of Nature and the Law of God: Anti-Slavery in Ontario, 1833-1877." http://www.mcgil;l.ca/mqup/stouffer.htm. In Hamilton, Ontario, there were riots as some parents tried to prevent blacks from attending schools with white children ("Important" 2). Nov 1 , 1999."Drew's collection of the accounts of fugitive slaves might have includedmore information on their lives in Canada, instead of focusing on theirlife in slavery and on the Underground Railroad, but their accounts makeclear that life in Canada was a vast improvement, despite some racism anddiscrimination."Important Events in Canadian Black History."http://www.niica.on.ca/csonan/HISTLIST.htm. James 5). some whites refusing to have their children attend schools with blacks. The Compromise included funding for chasing, apprehending, andreturning fugitive slaves to the South, and also for prosecuting anybodyhelping the slaves flee. . In addition, such black Americans as Mary Ann Shadd were invited toCanada to teach school to former slaves who had fled the United Statesafter the Compromise of 185 (St. . [However,] in Ontario, the Common Schools Act was passed for separate schools for blacks and Roman Catholics. Canadian abolitionists responded to the immediate needs of the often destitute fugitive slaves who crossed the border. This resulted in . If this had not been the case, and if life were not muchbetter in Canada, news would have reached either the fugitive slaves ortheir helpers in the Underground Railroad in the United States andimmigration to Canada would have ceased or been reduced significantly. As a result, real freedom for fugitive slavescould come only by leaving the United States for Canada (St. The greatestperiod of flight to Canada by slaves was the decade from 185 to justbefore the start of the Civil War. Thomas Hedgebeth writes that after the Fugitive Slave Bill gaveAmericans the power to hunt and take fugitive slaves back to the South, I came away into Canada in consequence, as did many others. "Introduction to theUnderground Railroad of Western Pennsylvania."http://www.stjamesamec.org/railroadintro.htmlThis overview of the underground railroad and the growth of black migrationto Canada is a fine introductory piece for the reader who seeks to know thegeneral facts and effects of black life in flight from slavery and infreedom in Canada.Stouffer, Allen P.

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