Harriet Tubman
Background: Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland around 1821. She worked on the plantation as a field hand. In her childhood, her master would often beat her and punish her as he did to most of his slaves. One day, a scuffle broke out when another slave ran off. The overseer threw a heavy iron object at the runaway slave, but it hit Harriet instead. From then on she had a deep scar and would often have painful headaches.
Escape: In 1849, Harriet found out that her and her brothers were going to be sold to another owner. She decided to escape rather than be separated from her family forever. However, her brothers and her husband, John, were afraid to escape. At age 28, she walked alone from Maryland to Pennsylvania. She had become a free slave. Even though she was free, she was not happy. she missed her family and she decided that her family should be free as well. She worked in the North and saved her pay. Then she used that money to go back South and save her family. First, she freed her sister and her sister's family. Then she went back and helped one brother and two other men escape. In total, Harriet went back to the South more than ten times. She helped most of her family to freedom, including her aged parents, her brothers and sisters, and their families. Like many escaped slaves, her family went to Canada where the United State's Fugitive Slave Act had no effect.
On the Road: When transporting slaves, Tubman carried a gun. However, it was not used to protect herself, but rather to threaten the fugitives to keep moving forward. If the fugitives tried to turn back, she would threaten to shot them. She knew that anyone who turned back could tell the bounty hunters where to find her and the other escaped slaves. They might even reveal secrets about the Underground Railroad. Despite her threats, Tubman never had to shot anyone and no one she helped ever went back into slavery. Tubman easily became on of the Underground Railroad's most famous conductors. Because of this slave owners offered large rewards for her capture. Regardless of the reward on her head and her noticeable scar, Tubman was never captured.
Escape: In 1849, Harriet found out that her and her brothers were going to be sold to another owner. She decided to escape rather than be separated from her family forever. However, her brothers and her husband, John, were afraid to escape. At age 28, she walked alone from Maryland to Pennsylvania. She had become a free slave. Even though she was free, she was not happy. she missed her family and she decided that her family should be free as well. She worked in the North and saved her pay. Then she used that money to go back South and save her family. First, she freed her sister and her sister's family. Then she went back and helped one brother and two other men escape. In total, Harriet went back to the South more than ten times. She helped most of her family to freedom, including her aged parents, her brothers and sisters, and their families. Like many escaped slaves, her family went to Canada where the United State's Fugitive Slave Act had no effect.
On the Road: When transporting slaves, Tubman carried a gun. However, it was not used to protect herself, but rather to threaten the fugitives to keep moving forward. If the fugitives tried to turn back, she would threaten to shot them. She knew that anyone who turned back could tell the bounty hunters where to find her and the other escaped slaves. They might even reveal secrets about the Underground Railroad. Despite her threats, Tubman never had to shot anyone and no one she helped ever went back into slavery. Tubman easily became on of the Underground Railroad's most famous conductors. Because of this slave owners offered large rewards for her capture. Regardless of the reward on her head and her noticeable scar, Tubman was never captured.