Lesson 2-Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad

Students will gain an overall understanding of the Civil War and its effects on our country. Student will be able to describe the Underground Railroad and why it was important in the Civil War.

Underground Railroad – path used to escape from Southern slave states to free Northern states Conductor – a person who helped slaves escape on the Underground Railroad Moses – nickname given to Harriet Tubman for leading her people to freedom Gourd – a fruit that is hallowed out and used to drink from Safe house – a stop on the underground railroad where slaves could rest and eat Big Dipper – the constellation containing the North star

We are continuing our study of the Civil War. Yesterday we learned that the major cause of the war was what? Slavery - People who were slaves were not free and had to work long hours without being paid.”

Although there were many, many enslaved African American in America, mostly in the South, not everyone agreed that slavery was right. In fact, people were saying that slavery was wrong and that it should be ended. They said that no one should be allowed to own people. They said enslaved African Americans should be given their freedom. The people who wanted to end slavery mostly lived in the Northern States. But in the Southern states…, most people wanted to keep slavery going. The Northerners and the Southerners also disagreed about whether slavery should be allowed to spread. As more Americans moved west, some wanted to take their enslaved Africans out west to work for them.

The South said, The North said, The Southerners did not want to change their way of life. They said, We own these slaves, They are our property. You can’t stop us from taking what we own. No! Slavery should not be allowed to spread through these new lands! The United States government cannot tell us what to do. We Southern states have rights to make our own decisions

Harriet Tubman was born a slave on a plantation in Maryland. She was born around Her name at birth was Araminta Ross, but she took her mother’s name, Harriet, when she was thirteen. Life as a slave was difficult. She lived in a one-room cabin with her family that had eleven children. When she was only six, she went to help out another family taking care of a baby. She was sometimes beaten, and sometimes only got the table scraps to eat. She worked a lot of jobs on the plantation. She plowed fields and loaded produce into wagons. She even hauled logs and drove oxen. When she was thirteen Harriet had a horrible injury to her head. She was visiting the nearby town. A slave owner tried to throw an iron weight at one of his slaves. It hit Harriet instead. It almost killed her! For the rest of her life she had dizzy spells and blackouts because of this injury.

During this time, there were many states in the North that did not allow slavery. Slaves would try to escape using the Underground Railroad. This wasn’t really a railroad. It was a series of safe homes that were called stations. The people in these homes hid the slaves as they traveled to the north. The people helping the slaves were called conductors. Slaves would move from station to station at night. They would hide in the woods and go from house to house until they finally reached the north where they would be free. In 1849, Harriet decided to escape. She used the Underground Railroad. It was a long and scary trip. Finally, she made it to Pennsylvania and she was free! glue the man onto your history journal

During this time, there were many states in the North that did not allow slavery. Slaves would try to escape using the Underground Railroad. This wasn’t really a railroad. It was a series of safe homes that were called stations. The people in these homes hid the slaves as they traveled to the north. The people helping the slaves were called conductors. Slaves would move from station to station at night. They would hide in the woods and go from house to house until they finally reached the north where they would be free. In 1849, Harriet decided to escape. She used the Underground Railroad. It was a long and scary trip. Finally, she made it to Pennsylvania and she was free!

In 1850 a new law was passed. It was called the Fugitive Slave Act. It said that a slave could be taken from free states and returned to their owners. To be really free, slaves now had to escape to Canada. Harriet decided to help others escape. She helped her family, including her mother and father, escape to freedom. She was never caught and never lost a slave. Harriet also helped during the Civil War. She was a nurse. She was a spy for the North, and she even helped on a military campaign that rescued over 750 slaves. After the Civil War, she lived in New York with her family. She helped poor and sick people. She spoke out on equal rights for blacks and for women.

Cut and glue this page into your history journal. 1.Cut out page. 2.Then fold on the dashed line 3.Glue left hand side only to make a flap book 4.Color when done

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Song with lyrics to follow A song that slaves sang about the undergroud railroad and escaping to the north. Super fun interactive resources. Explore plantations, the Undergound Rail Road and more! ground_railroad/ ground_railroad/