مکالمه ی فعالانه قسمت ج

Active Speaking - Part C

For the last leg of their trip, the two were almost refused tickets, because Ellen wasn’t able to sign her name.

Why were they almost refused tickets? They were almost refused tickets because Ellen wasn’t able to sign her name.

The ticket seller refused to sign for Ellen despite her arm being in a sling.

Did the ticket seller accept that Ellen couldn’t sign because her arm was in a sling? No, the ticket seller didn’t accept that Ellen couldn’t sign because her arm was in a sling. He refused to sign for Ellen.

Because they were so close to the North, people were on the lookout for abolitionists and escaping slaves.

Who were people on the lookout for? People were on the lookout for abolitionists and escaping slaves. Why were they on the lookout? They were on the lookout because they were so close to the North.

Slave owners needed to provide proof that the slaves they were traveling with were really their property.

What kind of proof did slave owners need to provide? Slave owners needed to provide proof that the slaves they were traveling with were really their property.

At the last minute though, the captain came by and signed for Ellen, before they could be detained.

Who signed for Ellen at the last minute? At the last minute, the captain signed for Ellen.

The train stopped in Baltimore, before reaching their final destination of the free state of Pennsylvania. This time, the two were detained.

Was Baltimore in a free state? No, Baltimore wasn’t in a free state. Was Pennsylvania a free state? Yes, Pennsylvania was a free state. What happened in Baltimore? They were detained in Baltimore.

Ellen was asked to give proof of ownership, and was told they wouldn’t be let go.

What did they ask Ellen for? They asked Ellen for proof of ownership.

The two both thought it was all over at that point. They had made it so far, and were almost free, only to be stopped just before Pennsylvania.

Were they almost free? Yes, they were almost free. Where were they stopped? They were stopped just before Pennsylvania.

Then the departure bell rang, and the officer had a change of heart.

Who had a change of heart? The officer had a change of heart.

He decided it was unfair to detain a sick man, noting the sling and bandages Ellen was wearing.

Why did he think that it was unfair to detain Ellen? He thought it was unfair to detain Ellen because she was a sick man.

He decided to let them pass and go on to Pennsylvania.

Did he let them pass? Yes, he let them pass. Did he let them go on to Baltimore? No, he let them go on to Pennsylvania.

When they arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, it was Christmas day. As they left the station, Ellen began crying because she knew they were safe.

When did they arrive in Philadelphia? They arrived in Philadelphia on Christmas day. What did Ellen do when they arrived? Ellen began to cry when they arrived.

Even after arriving in Philadelphia, their troubles weren’t over. Since Ellen was still disguised as a slave owner, many people told William to run away.

What did people tell William to do when they arrived? They told William to run away from Ellen.

Once Ellen took off her disguise, they were helped by an underground abolitionist group.

Who helped Ellen? An underground abolitionist group helped Ellen.

There they learned to read and write, and after a while they both moved to Boston. William resumed working as a cabinetmaker and Ellen became a seamstress. So life was good.

What did they both learn to do? They both learned to read and write. Where did they move?

They moved to Boston. What kind of work did William get? William got work as a cabinetmaker. What about Ellen? What kind of work did she get? She became a seamstress.

After two years though, slave hunters arrived, looking to find them and send them back to Georgia.

Who came looking for Ellen and William two years later? Two years later, slave hunters came looking for Ellen and William. Where did they want to send them back to? They wanted to send them back to Georgia.

Once again, they fled, only this time to England.

Where did they run away to? They ran away to England.

Once in England, they were finally free to have children together, without the fear of ever being separated from them. They had five children in England, and after 20 years, finally returned to the United States.

Did they finally feel safe to have children? Yes, they finally felt safe to have children. How many children did they have? They had five children. When did they return to the US? They returned to the US after 20 years.

When they arrived, they found that the slavery situation in the US had changed for the better after their 20 years abroad. Slaves were now legally free in the South.

What had changed in the US since they were gone? Slaves were now legally free in the South.

However, so many of them had few opportunities available to them, as all they had known was the slave life.

Did free slaves have lots of opportunities? No, they had few opportunities. What was one of the reasons they had few opportunities? There were many reasons, but one of the reasons was that all they had known was the slave life.

Ellen and William saw this as an opportunity to help.

What kind of opportunity did Ellen and William see? They saw an opportunity to help.

Rather than go and live in the North, where things were much easier, they decided that they would return to Georgia in order to open a school to help newly freed black people. Their story had come full circle.

Do you think that life was riskier for a black person in Georgia? Would you have returned to Georgia if you were a black person during this time?