Final answer:
Spirituals with references to 'wagon wheels' and crossing water were significant for enslaved individuals, carrying coded messages about the desire for and means to attain freedom. These songs used biblical imagery like the Jordan River symbolically to represent the transition from bondage to liberty, and they also served as communication tools in slave escape efforts.
Step-by-step explanation:
When slaves referred to wagon wheels, they were often using coded language within spirituals to communicate plans to escape. They sang about subjects like crossing over water or reaching Canaan's shore to express their longing for freedom and to communicate covertly about escape plans. One of the most iconic spirituals was "Go Down Moses," which served as a signal for slaves planning to escape. For the enslaved, songs often combined both the deep sorrow of their situation with a joyous hope for freedom. The song lyrics, while appearing as unmeaning jargon to outsiders, were saturated with meaning for the enslaved. Spirituals like "Roll, Jordan, Roll" and "The Old Ship of Zion" incorporated biblical imagery, particularly the Jordan River, which symbolized the transition from bondage to freedom. Figures like Harriet Tubman utilized these spirituals as part of the Underground Railroad efforts to aid slaves in their escape to freedom.