Harriet Tubman Research Paper

Words: 1892
Pages: 8

Zarra Schmidt Mrs. Walker English 10H 20 February 2024 The Life of Harriet Tubman Who was Harriet Tubman? Many would say she was an escaped enslaved woman who helped others like her gain freedom using the Underground Railroad. However, she is so much more than that. Harriet Tubman is not only a role model for all women who want to make a difference in the world and have all odds stacked against them, but also a determined, strategic, and powerful person. She has faced many trials and tribulations throughout her long, eventful lifetime. As she once said, "I had reasoned this out in my mind; there was one of two things I had the right to, liberty or death; if I could have one, I would have the other.”(Dawson). Her early life, accomplishments, …show more content…
At age 13, she witnessed a slave's attempted escape and refused to help the slave's owner in catching them while out running errands. This event in her early life can be seen as a peek into her later life pursuits and achievements. However, as this incident continued, the enslaver became much more desperate, leading to the decision to attempt to throw a weight at the escapee. In this poor endeavor, the enslaver ended up hitting Araminta in the back of her head, fracturing her skull. Although it was a miracle that her mother was able to keep her alive, she did not get out of the situation without some lasting medical issues. She lived the rest of her life with headaches, seizures, and narcolepsy (Dawson). Even though she began to recoup her strength, her productivity declined, so Brodess attempted to sell her. Although this was not successful, she felt that she "grew up like a neglected weed" and "not happy or contented: every time I saw a white man I was afraid of being carried away.". However, she managed to regain her strength and become once again a valued worker. As her early life came to an end, she managed to pay Brodess a wage for a year and hire her own time whilst setting up for her …show more content…
"(Larson 54) " After Araminta's much-planned and anticipated escape, one could say she lived many lives. After escaping slavery, the now-named Harriet Tubman became a "conductor" on the Underground Railroad. She helped enslaved people all over the South, like she once was, become free and travel to the North, where they could build a new life. As expected, "... few returned to the land of their enslavers, risking capture and re-enslavement, even lynching, to help others seek their own emancipation. "(Larson 1). However, first, "Tubman found work as a housekeeper in Philadelphia, but she wasn’t satisfied living free on her own—she wanted freedom for her loved ones and friends, too. "(Onion et al.). Harriet Tubman spent many years doing this successfully and never lost a traveler. During her last trip, she was finally able to free her parents and take them with her to join what she had already made of her new life. Between trips, she helped those who became homeless get clothing, food, housing, and jobs. When the Civil War began, Harriet started working as a spy for the Union Army. She was a perfect spy, as no Confederate expected a petite, black woman to work in the army, let alone be a