Question

Historians estimate that as many as 50,000 per year escaped the South on foot, on horseback, or hidden in wagons. How many people per year escaped the South?

1) 10,000
2) 20,000
3) 30,000
4) 50,000

Answer 1

An estimated 50,000 people per year escaped the South, many utilizing the Underground Railroad. This figure encompasses the number of enslaved individuals who sought freedom through various means of escape.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the historical context provided, it is estimated that as many as 50,000 people per year escaped the South seeking freedom via methods such as on foot, on horseback, or hidden in wagons. This figure accounts for those who utilized the Underground Railroad as part of their escape plan. Not all made it to safe destinations, and many resorted to hiding in plain sight or attempting to move to places like southern Ontario, Canada, where slavery had been abolished.

While the actual number of freedom-seekers who successfully evaded capture within a year might have been lower, possibly around one thousand per year in the early 1850s, the impact of the Underground Railroad and the courage of individuals who dared to escape cannot be overstated. Figures like Harriet Tubman exemplify the thousands who risked everything for a chance at liberty.