Harriet Tubman Essay

Harriet Tubman was born a slave, somewhere around 1820, in Maryland’s Dorchester County. Her given name was originally Araminta Ross, which she later changed when she married John Tubman (a free black). She changed her name to Harriet for her mother and her last name to Tubman since she married.

She started off a house slave at age five (5) or six (6). Seven (7) years later she was sent to work in the fields, in which, caused her to suffer a terrible accident in her early teens that followed her through the years. The overseer was angry with Tubman and threw a 2 pound weight which landed short and hit her in the head. She suffered from dizzy spells which made her sleep for long periods of time.

In 1849, fearing that she and the other slaves on the plantation were going to be sold, Tubman ran away. She set out one night on foot and with some assistance from a friendly white woman; she was able to get away. She followed the North Star on the nights that followed until she made her way to Philadelphia. She found a job and saved up her money until the following year and returned to Maryland to rescue her sister and her two (2) children. Shortly after, she returned to the South and rescued her brother and two (2) other men. On her third (3rd) mission, she went to rescue her husband but found out he had taken another wife. Instead she helped free other slaves and led them to the North.

Harriet Tubman returned many times to help guide slaves to the North. She would leave with them on a Saturday night with the master’s means of transportation since the newspapers wouldn’t be published until Monday which gave them enough time for their trip. Tubman even carried a gun which she used to threaten the fugitives if they became too tired or decided to turn back, telling them, "You'll be free or die.”

By 1856, slave owners were catching on and offered a $40,000 reward if she was caught. She overheard a man reading her wanted poster one time which stated that she was illiterate.

Harriet Tubman returned to the South 19 times by 1860, including one especially challenging journey in which she rescued her 70-year-old

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Harriet Tubman