Final answer:
Between 50,000 and 100,000 slaves escaped using the Underground Railroad, a network aiding enslaved individuals to flee primarily to Northern states and Canada, with Canada being a key destination due to the abolition of slavery there in 1834. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 increased escape risks, making successful escapes to Canada even more important.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of how many slaves escaped to freedom using the Underground Railroad is one of considerable historic interest. Historians estimate that between 50,000 and 100,000 enslaved individuals utilized the network of the Underground Railroad in their pursuit of freedom. This network, active especially between 1850 and 1860, was comprised of secret routes and safe houses in the United States leading mostly to Northern free states and Canada, facilitated by abolitionists and allies. In particular, the early 1850s only saw perhaps no more than 1,000 successfully escaping within a year without capture. However, these figures highlight the significant role the Railroad played in helping enslaved people flee from the South, often towards Canada where Upper Canada or Canada West (now Southern Ontario) became the home for the largest groups due to the British colonies’ abolition of slavery in 1834.