The Hidden History of Secret Passages
Terri Roberts
1)For thousands of years, people have used secret passages and hidden rooms to protect precious belongings and save lives. These secret structures have played important roles throughout history by protecting royalty, hiding valuables, and fooling thieves.

2)The ancient Egyptians were one of the first groups of people to use secret passages. The great pyramids were built to honor the rulers of this ancient civilization. When Egyptian leaders died, their people would place them in crypts, or tombs, deep inside the pyramids. These tombs were often filled with priceless treasures—items that the Egyptians believed their leaders would take with them to the next world. In order to prevent robbers from stealing these treasures, the Egyptians built secret passageways that led to the tombs. The designers also constructed fake tombs and deadly traps that would fool any would-be robbers.

3)Secret passages have often shaped important historic events. During the 1300s, a secret passage helped free an English king who was taken captive by his enemies. In the 1330s, Roger de Mortimer took young King Edward III of England captive in an attempt to take over the throne. After the king’s supporters learned of his kidnapping, they discovered a secret passage into Nottingham Castle. This passage allowed the supporters to slip past the guards and arrest Mortimer for his crime.

4)Queen Marie Antoinette used a secret passageway during the French Revolution in the 1780s. Many people were angry with the royal family at this time because there was not enough food for the country’s poorest people. Eventually, protesters gathered outside the Palace of Versailles. In order to get out safely, the queen used a secret passageway that led to an unguarded entrance.

5)hidden passages also played a key role in the Underground Railroad, which helped free slaves before the American Civil War. During the 1800s, groups of Abolitionists attempted to help slaves escape to freedom in the northern states and in Canada. Many people constructed secret rooms or passages in their houses where escaped slaves could hide from the authorities. Once the coast was clear, the slaves would move on to the next safe house.

6)Hidden rooms and secret passages were also important during World War II. Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis in the secret rooms of an office building for more than two years. In Germany, captured British soldiers used a secret room in Colditz Castle to plan their escape. The soldiers constructed a secret room in a remote part of the attic. Here, they began building a glider that would allow them to fly to freedom. Luckily, British forces freed the prisoners before the glider had to be used.

7)Today, secret passages are still uncovered in many older homes and office buildings. These discoveries help historians understand more about the history of hidden passageways and about the people who built them.

Read the passage on the left to answer the following questions:
7) Which statement could the author use to support the main idea of paragraph 5?
A)Levi Coffin, a Quaker from Indiana, used a secret room in his home to help more than 2,000 slaves escape to freedom.
B)Secret passages were often constructed in palaces so that royalty could escape from deadly attacks.
C)Today, secret passages and secret rooms are usually constructed to amuse homeowners.
D)Slavery was eventually outlawed in the United States by the Thirteenth Amendment.

8)How is the information in this passage organized?
A)geographically: the passage moves from one part of the globe to others
B)chronologically: from the earliest known secret passages to more recent ones
C)compare and contrast: the passage shows how different secret passages could be
D)problem and solution: the text presents a problem and possible solutions for it

9)Which of these BEST completes the graphic organizer?
A) Used by King Edward III's supporters
B) Used by captured British soldiers
C) Used by ancient Egyptians
D) Used by Marie Antoinette