In 1809 the Indiana Territory was divided into two separate territories, the second being the Illinois Territory. In 1818, Illinois drafted a constitution and entered the Union as a free state. However, as we learned, the North was a notoriously racist society. Their cause to ban slavery was more due to reasons of wanting to promote racial purity, as opposed to reasons regarding morality. Many settlers also earned income from bounties received for capturing fugitives on the Underground Railroad. Americans need to understand that the horrors of slavery and oppression were not just limited to the South, one of the reasons the Underground Railroad ran all the way to Canada. Although fugitive slave laws did not date back to the 1850s, slaves – in this case indentured servants – could not be assured of freedom until they reached Canadian soil. This book gives readers an idea of ​​who we might have found as conductors on the Underground Railroad and what kind of difficult situations they put themselves in for the good of others. The author's tone generally seems sympathetic to the abolitionist plight, and she refers to the prejudices of southern Illinois society as a "legacy of shame" (Pirtle 120-121). Carol Pirtle, an author whose works focus primarily on Randolph County, Illinois, wrote a book focusing on the civil case of William Hayes against Andrew Borders of Randolph County, Illinois. The book provides in-depth information on how Borders came to Randolph County in 1816 via Georgia and how they kept slaves, even as Illinois entered the Union as a free state. Mr. Hayes came to Randolph County much later than Mr. Borders, in 1834. A native of upstate New York and having lived... middle of paper... a driver of the Underground Railroad may have had endure to help people they didn't even know escape to freedom. It also gives the reader infinitesimal insight into what a slave attempting to escape might have to endure and the possibilities he might face if he were unsuccessful. Additionally, if the history of the Underground Railroad and abolition interests a reader, "Escape Betwixt Two Suns" is a great place to start. Even though it deals with a very specific topic, it is an interesting read that has the ability to become a gateway to a much darker and deeper part of American history. Works Cited Chapman, Chas C. History of Knox County, Illinois. Chicago: Blakely, Brown & Marsh, Printers, 1878. Print.Pirtle, Carol. Escape Between Two Suns: A True Story of the Illinois Underground Railroad. Carbondale: Southern Illinois UP, 2000. Print.