Slavery has existed since before the new millennium and still exists today. Unfortunately, slavery was a key part of the colonization of America. From the early 1600s until the end of the Civil War in the United States, many people accepted slavery. Many of the Founding Fathers were slave owners, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and others. The first slaves of the colonies were guaranteed land and freedom in exchange for seven years of labor; however, not everyone has been granted this freedom. Over time the population grew and with it the number of slaves increased. As the slave trade increased, so did opposition. With the invention of the cotton gin in the late 1700s, the demand for slaves in the Southern states reached an all-time high. During this dark and cruel time in American history, slaves knew their only chance for freedom was to escape. With the passage of the harsh Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, those held captive saw slave-free Canada as one of their best chances for freedom. Those brave enough to escape took emancipation into their own hands, and the Underground Railroad was born. The Underground Railroad was neither underground nor a railroad; however, it operated much like a railway. There was a particular route to take, multiple stops along the way, and a specific person leading the way, much like an orchestra conductor. The name “underground railroad” originates from the use of railroad terms, which were used as codes, such as “baggage,” which meant runaway slaves, “stations,” which were hideouts, and “stationmasters,” which were the people who ran the “stations”. To keep the Underground Railroad a well-kept secret, each station master knew just the limit... middle of paper ......make sure the slave catchers didn't notice their help with the Underground Railroad (http://www .ushistory.org/us/28c.asp). Every mass movement needs individuals willing to dedicate their time to support a cause. Without the extensive help of abolitionists and Underground Railroad conductors, slavery might have taken much longer to abolish. After all, freedom has always been sought throughout the world, but freedom is not always easy to achieve. The support of many abolitionists helped set a moral precedent for how people should be treated. The United States Constitution states that all men are created with certain unalienable rights. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are everyone's right, and with the help of everyone involved in the Underground Railroad, this was accomplished and slavery was finally ended. 1865.