Final answer:
People escaping slavery via the Underground Railroad used visual and audible clues like quilt patterns, songs, and star positions, especially the North Star, to find their way. They were assisted by conductors who guided them from one safe house to the next, creating a network of secret routes and assistance.
Step-by-step explanation:
As people traveled the Underground Railroad, they relied on various non-written guides to direct them north toward freedom. Due to many freedom seekers' inability to read and the high risk of infiltration, visual and audible cues were crucial. Quilt patterns, song lyrics, and the positions of stars, particularly the North Star, acted as secret signals and directions.
Conductors, individuals aiding in the escape efforts, often used codes from railroad terminology and moved escapees from station to station, with each 'station' or 'depot' providing shelter, food, and further directions. Safe houses, typically out-of-sight locations like barns operated by station masters, served as rest stops. They also received assistance from various abolitionists and sympathizers, including churches and free-born Blacks.