Final answer:
Runaway slaves identified safe houses in the Underground Railroad through visual and audible cues like quilt patterns and song lyrics. Conductors, who were part of the Underground Railroad, moved runaways from station to station. Vigilance committees and personal liberty laws were formed in northern communities to protect runaways from slave catchers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses used by runaway slaves to escape to freedom. To identify safe houses, visual and audible cues were used, such as patterns in quilts, song lyrics, and star positions. Conductors, who were individuals involved in the Underground Railroad, moved runaways from station to station, often pretending to be slaves themselves to gain access to plantations.
The stations were typically located in out-of-the-way places like barns and were held by station masters who provided assistance to the runaways, such as sending messages to other stations and directing them on the path to their next stop. There were also individuals known as stockholders who provided financial support for the Underground Railroad. In northern communities, vigilance committees were formed by blacks and whites to protect runaways and hinder slave catchers. Personal liberty laws were passed to deny federal officials the use of state facilities, and abolitionists would often harass slave catchers in the streets to help fugitives escape capture.