Question

conductor on the underground railroad
biography by ann petry
connect

1. review the descriptions of st. catharines and maryland in paragraphs 54–55. how are these two places different from each other? what idea does the author suggest by contrasting them?

st. catharines is different from maryland in the following ways: ______. the contrast between these places suggests that ______.
checklist

1. i identify the main idea(s) and supporting details, and summarize text.

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Explanation:

To answer this, we analyze the historical context (Underground Railroad era). St. Catharines (in Canada) was a free, safe haven for enslaved people escaping via the Underground Railroad, with abolitionist support and no slavery. Maryland was a slave state with legalized slavery, oppression, and danger for enslaved people. The contrast suggests the freedom and safety of Canada (St. Catharines) as a destination vs. the oppression of slave states (Maryland), highlighting the purpose of the Underground Railroad (escape to freedom) and the harsh reality of slavery in the US South/Maryland.

Answer:

St. Catharines (in Canada) was a place of freedom and safety for formerly enslaved people (no slavery, abolitionist support, a haven for those escaping), while Maryland was a slave state with legalized slavery, oppression, and danger for enslaved people. The contrast suggests that places like St. Catharines offered the freedom and safety that enslaved people sought by escaping from slave states like Maryland, highlighting the purpose of the Underground Railroad (to reach free territory) and the stark difference between slave - holding and free regions during that era.