Even at a young age Harriet Tubman realized that there was something wrong with enslaving people just because of their skin color. Harriet Tubman was born around 1820. No one knows the exact date of her birth because it was not recorded. Most slaves did not know how to read or write and therefore they did not record when their children were born. Despite being a hardworking slave and not being treated fairly, Harriet Tubman went on to become a world famous conductor on the Underground Railroad helping hundreds of slaves escape slavery. Harriet had a tough life even when she was young. Slave children had to start working when they were five years old, they did not have a very long childhood (Schraff 15). When Harriet was old enough to be a slave, …show more content…
There she visited the Philadelphia Vigilance committee offices, which was one of the main stations for the Underground Railroad (Schraff 38). Harriet learned many things about the Underground Railroad there. She realized she wanted to help people escape slavery and began to use the Underground Railroad to help slaves escape. For seven years Harriet took two trips a year to go rescue slaves in the South. She brought them North by using safe houses when they were available, but if not they had to hide in drainage ditches, abandoned sheds, and barns (Schraff 50). Harriet had many people who helped her on all these journeys. Thomas Garrett was one of them. He and Harriet were very close friends and he would hide the runaway slaves in a false wall in his shoe store (Schraff 51). He not only helped Harriet but he also helped lots of other runaway slaves as well. Sometimes, a house that was supposed to be a safe house was no longer safe. This was a major obstacle because Harriet never knew if the safe houses or trails were actually safe. Tubman’s attitude was that praying and believing in god was key in tough situations like these (Schraff 58). “The whites can not catch us for I was born with the charm, and the lord has given me the power,” Harriet said. She believed that god would help guide her to keep her runaway slaves safe and lead them to freedom. She also used her smarts and thinking on the go to protect her and her parties. Harriet did not allow anyone who was with her turn back to the plantation they had escaped from. She did not want the secrets of the Underground Railroad to be revealed to the slave owners. Someone who is too scared to escape might be tortured into saying what they saw and she would rather kill someone than let them go back. Harriet was tough, but effective in her work. Harriet became known as Moses of the Underground Railroad because of all her great work. Harriet
Harriet Tubman was among the greatest fighters for justice in her time and was an inspiration to others to fight for what they believe in, but she along with many others who fight experienced it themselves. When she was younger, “She knew that her brothers and sisters, her father and mother, and all the other people who lived in the quarter, men, women and children, were slaves. At the same time, someone had taught her where to look for the North Star, the star that stayed constant, not rising in the east and setting in the west as the other stars appeared to do; and told her that anyone walking toward the North could use that star as a guide. She knew about fear, too. Sometimes at night, or during the day, she heard the furious galloping of horses, not just one horse, several horses, thud of the hoofbeats along the road, jingle of harness. She saw the grown folks freeze into stillness, not moving, scarcely breathing, while they listened. She could not remember who first told her that those furious hoofbeats meant the patrollers were going past, in pursuit of a runaway. Only the slaves said patterollers, whispering the word” (Petry). Living with her family as a slave, she learned all the things she needed to know to do her job in the future as the conductor of the Underground Railroad, she learned about the North star, and she learned about how you should not get caught by the patrollers. Perturbed by the thought of the fate of her family and her future, she escaped to Philadelphia but “Rather than remaining in the safety of the North, Tubman made it her mission to rescue her family and others living in slavery via the Underground Railroad” (Biography.com editors). She made it her mission to save others and take
Araminta was born into slavery in 1820 in Dorchester Maryland. She was one of nine children born to her mother Harriet Rit Green, and her father Ben Ross. Mrs. Green was owned by Mary Brodess, and Mr. Ross was owned by Anthony Thompson, were the two owners soon married (“Harriet Tubman Biography”). At the age of only six Araminta was deemed old enough to be able to work. She was not yet old enough to work in the fields, so her owners would send her to other plantations to do housework. While at work she was beaten frequently (“Harriet Ross Tubman”). Because she was a slave Araminta did not receive the education she needed which gave her limited opportunities (“Zenitha”). Many things were different if you were a slave. Violence was also part of a daily routine. When Araminta was only a teenager around thirteen, she was sent to a goods store to get some things needed by her master. While at the store she was met by a runaway slave. The overseer ordered Araminta to help stop the young man, but
Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland around 1820. By the time Tubman had reached the age of 5 or 6, she started working as a servant in her master’s household. Approximately seven years after she began working as a servant, Tubman was sent to work out in the fields. While Tubman was still a teenager, she sustained an injury that would affect her for the
Harriet Tubman escaped slavery to become an abolitionist in the Civil War. She was born into slavery in Maryland in 1820 and then escaped in 1849. She put her life and freedom in harm's way, and returned numerous times to save slaves from the plantation system, friends, and her family. She led many slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad. She also cooperated with the Union Army in the war. After the Civil War came to an end, Harriet devoted her time to help impoverished past slaves and the elderly, creating her own personal home for the old.
We know her as the “Moses” of her people; she left a remarkable history on the tracks of the Underground Railroad that will never be forgotten. Harriet Tubman born into slavery around 1820 in Dorchester County, Maryland, Harriet Tubman was a nurse, spy, social reformer and a feminist during a period of economic upheaval in the United States. For people to understand the life of Harriet Tubman, they should know about her background, her life as a slave, and as a free woman.
Harriet Tubman 's background heavily impacted her beliefs as an adult. Harriet Tubman was born around the year 1820 in Dorchester County, Maryland. “She was the child of Benjamin Ross, and her mother, Harriet Greene. Her master 's name at the time was Edward Brodas” (Lesson). She was born into slavery and as soon as she could talk and walk, she was put to work. She worked as a house servant when only 6 years old and started to work on the fields at the age of 13 (ELibrary). Harriet was very uneducated and never learned to read or write. She learned to be strong and independent at a very young age because of the way she was treated by her parents and owner (Social Leaders). When Harriet entered her teen years, she refused to tie up a runaway slave when her owner ordered her to. Her disobedience angered her owner and he then threw a heavy weight
The woman known as Harriet Ross Tubman was born into slavery in 1825, in Dorchester County, Maryland. She was born as Araminta Ross, and nicknamed “Minty” by her parents. Harriet would later change her name from Araminta to Harriet in memory of her mother, Harriet Greene, as was custom on the plantations. She had 4 brothers Ben, Robert Henry and Moses. Harriet also had 4 sisters, Linah, Mariah, Rachel and Soph. Harriet was raised in harsh conditions and under strict rules. Several of Harriet’s siblings were sold to out-of-state buyers, while she was “loaned” out to another plantation at the age of 5 or 6 to provide care for an infant. While providing care, one of her duties was to ensure the baby did not cry at night. When the baby would cry at night, she was whipped around the neck. These were the first of Harriet’s slavery scars, which remained for her entire life. She later became to sick to work and was returned home, after recovering, she was again loaned out to another plantation where she worked as a nursemaid. She had many jobs as a slave, including collecting muskrats from traps, a job she had to complete despite contracting measles. At
“Harriet Tubman - PBS” states that Harriet Tubman made many trips “During a ten-year span she made 19 trips into the South and escorted over 300 slaves to freedom”. Harriet freed slaves by sneaking them through the underground railroad. This was very brave of her and her actions were very important in the change of civil rights. Her and many others changed the lives of african americans. Harriet was a slave herself as stated in “Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad” “She could not, for example, have said how or at what moment she learned that she was a slave” (Petry). Personal experience is what drove Harriet to help others. She knew slavery wasn’t right and she had the boldness of taking the situation in her own hands. In order to help slaves escape, she had to stay in hiding “She devised clever techniques that helped make her "forays" successful” (Harriet Tubman, Petry). For how quiet and in hiding she was, Harriet still managed to make a big difference. This is why she is so important. Bravery is key to making a change and Harriet Tubman was very
Harriet converted her life’s disadvantages into her strengths. As a slave, her life was full of deprivation. “Physical violence was a part of daily life for Tubman and her family. The violence she suffered early in life caused permanent physical injuries” (www.biography.com). The harsh scars were everlasting, but so were her dreams. As an adolescent, Harriet received a severe head injury. The head injury caused her to experience dream states, which gave her dreams and visions she considered a sign from God. Religion was a huge factor in why she decided to risk her life to guide others to freedom. “[Harriet Tubman] wanted freedom, freedom to live and move and labor as a human being and not as a chattel; and she wanted that freedom, not for herself alone, but for her people” (Eusebius 16). The events that Harriet had witnessed and experienced were events that she did not want others to experience. Harriet seeked freedom not only for herself, but for her people. Experiences like these are what drove Harriet to escape the harsh life of slavery. If she had not witnessed and experienced the violent outbreaks, she would not have had the desire to change the course of humanity. Harriet’s experiences early in life gave her the courage, strength, and determination to not only change her life, but the lives of further
Harriet Tubman year of birth is unknown, but it probably occurred between 1820 and 1825 in Dorchester County, Maryland. She was originally named Araminta Harriet Ross and was born into slavery. Her mother was owned by Mary Pattison Brodess and he father by Anthony Thompson. Harriet was one of the nine children birthed by Harriet Green and Ben Ross. Her early life was quite difficult and she often underwent physical violence. According to biography.com, Tubman’s master once struck her with a lead two-pound weight for not helping restrain a runaway slave. Because of the physical abuse Aramainta endured during her adolescent years she received seizures, severe headaches, and narcoleptic episodes throughout her life. Tubman was even whipped on the plantation and had many scars. The injuries she obtained in these early years stayed with her throughout her life.
Harriet Tubman was a slave she had fewer rights than most Americans but in some way she got to freedom.Harriet was born around 1820 the daughter of two slaves, and was put at work at age 5.At age 12 Tubman tried to protect a slave from being punished.She was hit with a weight on her head from someone who watches over the work, and suffered blackouts for the rest of her life as a result.In 1849, Tubman escaped to the North so she would be free and followed the North Star where she arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.There she learned about the Underground Railroad that lead slaves to North.So she decided to go to South and bring all slaves to North.Tubman rescued about 300 slaves.After that she died in
Born into slavery in Maryland, Harriet Tubman led hundreds of slaves and families to the Underground Railroad for freedom. Risking her life she became the first abolitionist in 1849 ,and most famous conductor .Before the American Civil War , working as a spy and other roles she also helped the Union Army. When the Civil War ended she made it her goal to help the elderly and former slaves. Harriet Tubman gave her faith to God by using the North Star as guidance to led the way to freedom. Being steadfast and deep in her faith , she let God carry her through and to protect her. The way was always clear for her as long as she prayed and listened to a prayer .
Harriet Tubman was born sometime around 1820, the exact year and date are unknown because they didn’t keep track of their birthdays. She was born into slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland her parents were Ben Ross and Harriet Greene. Her name was Araminta Ross until she married her first husband John Tubman and changed it to Harriet after her mother. Tubman was one of eight children, four sisters, and four brothers. At the age of 5 or 6, she became a house servant and took care of all the babies. When she was 12 she was seriously injured by a blow to the head, inflicted by a white overseer but she refused. Being punished made her really mad so she decided one day she would be free.
“On my Underground Railroad, I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger” (Petry, 15). The story of Harriet Tubman began when she was born into slavery in 1820 on the plantation of Edward Brodas. Tubman was born on a plantation on the eastern Maryland shore during a time that was being plagued with economic uncertainty. More slaves were living with increased anxiety during this time. Along with the economic hardships, slaves were being sold to traders further south leaving their families behind (Petry, 17). Many of the slaves that lived on Brodas’ plantation lived on the words that they would be freed when he died.
Harriet Tubman was born Aramita Ross. She went by the nickname of Minty. It is believed she was born in late February or early March 1822 (Larson, 2009). Although this fact is unclear due to her claim in her pension application stating she was born in 1825, her death certificate stating she was born in 1815 and her gravestone stating she was born in 1820 (Harriet