Angel Valdez W. Stiern Middle School 2009-2010 Harriet Tubman Angel Valdez W. Stiern Middle School 2009-2010

Young Tubman She was born into slavery in Bucktown, Maryland. As a young child she worked as a house slave. When she grew older she started working in the fields. As a teen she was struck by her master defending another slave. She never fully recovered from the blow to the head, she had blackouts throughout her life.

Her names Her given name was Arminta Ross. Tubman was also referred to as Moses during her abolitionist days. She later changed her name to Harriet Tubman. Harriet after her mother and Tubman was her husbands last name.

The Escape In fear of being sold, Tubman planned to runaway. She escaped to freedom through the Underground railroad in 1849 to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tubman worked as a maid in Philadelphia and joined the abolitionist group in the city.

Underground Railroad Harriet Tubman did everything she could to keep the runaway slaves encouraged and safe. She would carry a sleeping drug to give to crying babies who might get them caught. Tubman also carried a gun which she used to threaten runaways if they wanted to go back or became “too tired” to go on. Harriet would say, “Be free or die”.

Who did she save? Tubman made around 19 trips to the South and saved approximately 300 slaves. In her first expedition to the South she saved her sister and her sister’s two children. Soon after that trip she helped her brother and another man escape to freedom. Later as an abolitionist she rescued her parents. She went back to rescue her husband, John Tubman, to find he had taken another wife.

Hero/Criminal Some thought of her as a hero. Others thought of her as a criminal due to the Fugitive slave act going into effect, stating that it’s illegal to help a slave escape to freedom. Those who thought of her as a hero never turned her in, although rewards for her were highly priced.

Was helping worth it? Harriet would help slaves to freedom, but there was no promising they would stay free. It was very common for free African Americans to be grabbed off the street and taken to be slaves. When the African American would claim to be free, no one would care to believe them. Slaves could buy their freedom, but sometimes the money was wasted because they would just get put back into slavery.

Many accomplishments She was a nurse, scout, and sometimes spy for the Union Army during the Civil War. In 1908 she made a home for elderly and indigent blacks. This was known as Harriet Tubman Home. Although she passed away on March 10,1913 her legacy still lives on. Tubman's age was unknown. It is estimated she died at the age of 93. Her death was due to natural causes.

Bibliography http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1535.html http://www.civilwarhome.com/tubmanbio.htm