Harriet Tubman is perhaps the most well-known of all the Underground Railroad’s “conductors.” During a ten-year span she made 19 trips into the South and escorted over 300 slaves to freedom. And, as she once proudly pointed out to Frederick Douglass, in all of her journeys she “never lost a single passenger.”
How did Harriet Tubman escape slavery?
Tubman herself used the Underground Railroad to escape slavery. In September 1849, fearful that her owner was trying to sell her, Tubman and two of her brothers briefly escaped, though they didn’t make it far. For reasons still unknown, her brothers decided to turn back, forcing Tubman to return with them.
How many slaves did Harriet Tubman save?
Fact: According to Tubman’s own words, and extensive documentation on her rescue missions, we know that she rescued about 70 people —family and friends—during approximately 13 trips to Maryland.
Did Harriet Tubman use the Underground Railroad to escape?
The Underground Railroad and Siblings Between 1850 and 1860, Tubman made 19 trips from the South to the North following the network known as the Underground Railroad. Tubman first encountered the Underground Railroad when she used it to escape slavery herself in 1849.
Did Harriet Tubman escaped through the Underground Railroad?
Harriet Tubman escaped slavery on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in 1849. She then returned there multiple times over the next decade, risking her life to bring others to freedom as a renowned conductor of the Underground Railroad. While that first attempt was unsuccessful, Tubman escaped on her own soon after.
Is Gertie Davis died?
Her mission was getting as many men, women and children out of bondage into freedom. When Tubman was a teenager, she acquired a traumatic brain injury when a slave owner struck her in the head. This resulted in her developing epileptic seizures and hypersomnia.
Who did Harriet Tubman help escape?
On September 17, 1849, Harriet, Ben and Henry escaped their Maryland plantation. The brothers, however, changed their minds and went back. With the help of the Underground Railroad, Harriet persevered and traveled 90 miles north to Pennsylvania and freedom.
How was Harriet Tubman selfless?
Harriet Tubman was a hero because she was selfless and brave. She was selfless because she put others ahead of herself and volunteered to help hundreds of slaves escape from slavery. She was also brave because she did everything she could to help her family and slaves.
What challenges did Harriet Tubman face in the Underground Railroad?
A runaway slave, Harriet Tubman faced the prospect of imprisonment and re-enslavement. Tubman risked her life each time she ventured back south to
What age did Harriet Tubman escape slavery?
By age five, Tubman’s owners rented her out to neighbors as a domestic servant. Early signs of her resistance to slavery and its abuses came at age twelve when she intervened to keep her master from beating an enslaved man who tried to escape.
Why did Harriet Tubman leave her husband?
Harriet Leaves Her Husband To Gain Her Freedom Harriet Tubman had suffered from narcolepsy and severe headaches since she was 13, when a white overseer threw a two-pound weight at her skull.
How old would Harriet Tubman be today?
Harriet Tubman’s exact age would be 201 years 10 months 28 days old if alive. Total 73,747 days. Harriet Tubman was a social life and political activist known for her difficult life and plenty of work directed on promoting the ideas of slavery abolishment.
Harriet Tubman
As an escaped enslaved woman, Harriet Tubman worked as a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad, guiding enslaved individuals to freedom before the Civil War, all while a bounty was placed on her head. But she was also a nurse, a spy for the Union, and a proponent of women’s rights. Tubman is one of the most well-known figures in American history, and her legacy has inspired countless individuals of all races and ethnicities around the world.
When Was Harriet Tubman Born?
As an escaped enslaved woman, Harriet Tubman worked as a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad, guiding enslaved individuals to freedom before the Civil War, even while a reward was placed on her life. Nevertheless, she worked as a nurse, a spy for the Union, and a proponent of women’s suffrage. Tubman is one of the most well-known figures in American history, and her legacy has inspired many individuals of all races and ethnicities throughout the country.
A Good Deed Gone Bad
Harriet’s yearning for justice first manifested itself when she was 12 years old and witnessed an overseer prepare to hurl a heavy weight at a runaway. Harriet took a step between the enslaved person and the overseer, and the weight of the person smacked her in the head. Afterwards, she described the occurrence as follows: “The weight cracked my head. They had to carry me to the home because I was bleeding and fainting. Because I was without a bed or any place to lie down at all, they threw me on the loom’s seat, where I stayed for the rest of the day and the following day.” As a result of her good act, Harriet has suffered from migraines and narcolepsy for the remainder of her life, forcing her to go into a deep slumber at any time of day.
She was undesirable to potential slave purchasers and renters because of her physical disability.
Escape from Slavery
Harriet’s father was freed in 1840, and Harriet later discovered that Rit’s owner’s final will and testament had freed Rit and her children, including Harriet, from slavery. Despite this, Rit’s new owner refused to accept the will and instead held Rit, Harriett, and the rest of her children in bondage for the remainder of their lives. Harriet married John Tubman, a free Black man, in 1844, and changed her last name from Ross to Tubman in honor of her new husband. Harriet’s marriage was in shambles, and the idea that two of her brothers—Ben and Henry—were going to be sold prompted her to devise a plan to flee.
Harriet Tubman: Underground Railroad
On September 17, 1849, Harriet, Ben, and Henry managed to flee their Maryland farm and reach the United States. The brothers, on the other hand, changed their minds and returned. Harriet persisted, and with the assistance of the Underground Railroad, she was able to journey 90 miles north to Pennsylvania and freedom. Tubman got employment as a housekeeper in Philadelphia, but she wasn’t content with simply being free on her own; she desired freedom for her family and friends, as well as for herself.
She attempted to relocate her husband John to the north at one time, but he had remarried and preferred to remain in Maryland with his new wife. MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT: Harriet Tubman and her fellow fugitives used the following strategies to escape through the Underground Railroad:
Fugitive Slave Act
The Runaway Slave Act of 1850 authorized the apprehension and enslavement of fugitive and released laborers in the northern United States. Consequently, Harriet’s task as an Underground Railroad guide became much more difficult, and she was obliged to take enslaved people even farther north into Canada by leading them through the night, generally during the spring or fall when the days were shorter. She carried a revolver for her personal security as well as to “encourage” any of her charges who might be having second thoughts about following her orders.
Within 10 years, Harriet became acquainted with other abolitionists like as Frederick Douglass, Thomas Garrett, and Martha Coffin Wright, and she built her own Underground Railroad network of her own.
Despite this, it is thought that Harriet personally guided at least 70 enslaved persons to freedom, including her elderly parents, and that she educated scores of others on how to escape on their own in the years following the Civil War.
The Little-Known Underground Railroad That Ran South to Mexico.
Harriet Tubman’s Civil War Service
In 1861, as the American Civil War broke out, Harriet discovered new methods of combating slavery. She was lured to Fort Monroe to provide assistance to runaway enslaved persons, where she served as a nurse, chef, and laundress. In order to assist sick troops and runaway enslaved people, Harriet employed her expertise of herbal medicines. She rose to the position of director of an intelligence and reconnaissance network for the Union Army in 1863. In addition to providing Union commanders with critical data regarding Confederate Army supply routes and personnel, she assisted in the liberation of enslaved persons who went on to join Black Union battalions.
Harriet Tubman’s Later Years
Following the Civil War, Harriet moved to Auburn, New York, where she lived with her family and friends on land she owned. After her husband John died in 1867, she married Nelson Davis, a former enslaved man and Civil War soldier, in 1869. A few years later, they adopted a tiny girl named Gertie, who became their daughter. Harriet maintained an open-door policy for anyone who was in need of assistance. In order to sustain her philanthropic endeavors, she sold her homegrown fruit, raised pigs, accepted gifts, and borrowed money from family and friends.
She also collaborated with famed suffrage activist Susan B.
Harriet Tubman acquired land close to her home in 1896 and built the Harriet Tubman Home for Aged and Indigent Colored People, which opened in 1897.
However, her health continued to deteriorate, and she was finally compelled to relocate to the rest home that bears her name in 1911.
Schools and museums carry her name, and her life story has been told in novels, films, and documentaries, among other mediums. Continue reading “After the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman Led a Brutal Civil War Raid”
Harriet Tubman: 20 Dollar Bill
The SS Harriet Tubman, which was named for Tubman during World War I, is a memorial to her legacy. In 2016, the United States Treasury announced that Harriet Tubman’s portrait will be used on the twenty-dollar note, replacing the image of former President and slaveowner Andrew Jackson. Later, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (who previously worked under President Trump) indicated that the new plan will be postponed until at least 2026 at the earliest. President Biden’s administration stated in January 2021 that it will expedite the design phase of the project.
Sources
Early years of one’s life. The Harriet Tubman Historical Society was founded in 1908. General Tubman was a female abolitionist who also served as a secret military weapon during the Civil War. Military Times is a publication that publishes news on the military. Harriet Tubman is a historical figure. Biography. Biography. Harriet Tubman is a historical figure. Thompson AME Zion Church, Thompson Home for the Aged, and Thompson Residence are all located in Thompson. The National Park Service is a federal agency.
- Myths against facts.
- Kate Clifford Larson, Ph.D.
- Harriet Tubman is a historical figure.
- National Women’s History Museum exhibit about Harriet Tubman.
- The Harriet Tubman Historical Society was founded in 1908.
- The Underground Railroad (Urban Railroad).
Harriet Tubman
Life in the Beginning. Her biographers call her the “Miss Harriet Tubman.” In addition to being an abolitionist, General Tubman also served as a covert wartime spy. Military Times is a publication that publishes news and information on the United States military. Harriet Tubman is a historical figure who lived during the American Civil War. She was a pioneer in the fight against slavery. Biography. Biography. Harriet Tubman is a historical figure who lived during the American Civil War. She was a pioneer in the fight against slavery.
Park Service of the United States Harriet Tubman is a historical figure who lived during the American Civil War.
Myths and facts about a subject matter Harriet Tubman’s journey to the Promised Land Kate Clifford Larson, Ph.D.’s portrait of an American hero is on display.
She was a pioneer in the fight for women’s suffrage.
Her biographers call her the “Miss Harriet Tubman.” Harriet Tubman is a historical figure who lived during the American Civil War. She was a pioneer in the fight against slavery. Trains that run under the ground are known as the Underground Railroad (UR). Park Service of the United States
Who was Harriet Tubman?
In the United States, Harriet Tubman, née Araminta Ross, (born c. 1820 in Dorchester County, Maryland, U.S.—died March 10, 1913 in Auburn, New York) was an abolitionist who managed to escape from slavery in the South and rise to prominence before the American Civil War. As part of the Underground Railroad, which was an extensive covert network of safe homes built specifically for this reason, she was responsible for guiding scores of enslaved persons to freedom in the North. Araminta Ross was born into slavery and eventually assumed her mother’s maiden name, Harriet, as her own.
- When she was approximately 12 years old, she reportedly refused to assist an overseer in punishing another enslaved person; as a result, he hurled an iron weight that accidently struck her, causing her to suffer a terrible brain injury, which she would endure for the rest of her life.
- Tubman went to Philadelphia in 1849, allegedly on the basis of rumors that she was due to be sold.
- In December 1850, she made her way to Baltimore, Maryland, where she was reunited with her sister and two children who had joined her in exile.
- A long-held belief that Tubman made around 19 excursions into Maryland and assisted upwards of 300 individuals out of servitude was based on inflated estimates in Sara Bradford’s 1868 biography of Tubman.
- If anyone opted to turn back, putting the operation in jeopardy, she reportedly threatened them with a revolver and stated, “You’ll either be free or die,” according to reports.
- One such example was evading capture on Saturday evenings since the story would not emerge in the newspapers until the following Monday.
- It has been stated that she never lost sight of a runaway she was escorting to safety.
Abolitionists, on the other hand, praised her for her bravery.
Her parents (whom she had brought from Maryland in June 1857) and herself moved to a tiny farm outside Auburn, New York, about 1858, and remained there for the rest of her life.
Tubman spied on Confederate territory while serving with the Second Carolina Volunteers, who were under the leadership of Col.
Montgomery’s forces were able to launch well-coordinated attacks once she returned with intelligence regarding the locations of munitions stockpiles and other strategic assets.
Immediately following the Civil War, Tubman relocated to Auburn, where she began caring for orphans and the elderly, a practice that culminated in the establishment of the Harriet Tubman Home for IndigentAged Negroes in 1892.
Aside from suffrage, Tubman became interested in a variety of other issues, including the abolition of slavery.
A private measure providing for a $20 monthly stipend was enacted by Congress some 30 years after her contribution was recognized. Those in charge of editing the Encyclopaedia Britannica Jeff Wallenfeldt was the author of the most recent revision and update to this article.
Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubmandanielled65142021-05-05T Harriet Tubmandanielled65142021-05-05 10:05:50-04:00 As part of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, visitors can learn about the life and times of Harriet Tubman – freedom seeker and Underground Railroad conductor, abolitionist and suffragist, human rights activist, and one of Maryland’s most famous daughters – as well as other notable figures from the state’s history.
Tubman, who was born about 1822 in Dorchester County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, is one of the most praised, known, and beloved persons in the history of the United States of America.
If this is the case, Harriet Tubman would become the first woman and the first African-American to be featured on U.S.
A courageous leader
Harriet Tubman was the middle child of nine enslaved siblings, and she was reared by parents who had to fight against overwhelming difficulties to keep their family together. In spite of her terrible impairment, she grew up to become an accomplished hunter, lumberjack, and fieldworker. Her athletic skills prepared her for the potentially hazardous road she would choose as an adult. Tubman was able to make it to Philadelphia in 1849 after a daring escape. Once free, she went on to become an operator of the Underground Railroad, a hidden network of people, places, and routes that gave sanctuary and support to fugitive slaves during the American Civil War.
By 1860, Tubman had gained the moniker “Moses” for her work in rescuing so many enslaved people while putting her own life in danger to do it.
Did youknow?
- The fact that she had never learned to read or write did not detract from her ability to be intelligent, cunning, and brave, and she was never caught during her 13 perilous trips to free her friends and family from slavery. In June 1863, she made history by being the first woman to command an armed military raid during the American Civil War. Additionally, Tubman served as a Union spy and nurse
- She was a suffragist who campaigned for women’s rights
- She founded an African-American Nursing Home on her farm in Auburn, New York
- And she came close to death as a young child after suffering a concussion and traumatic brain injury. She suffered from seizures, discomfort, and other health difficulties for the remainder of her life, despite the fact that she was devout. When she began seeing visions and intense dreams, she took them to be revelations from God
- Nevertheless, she later came to believe otherwise.
A dedicated humanitarian
As a result of her widespread admiration among abolitionists in the North, Tubman established herself as a valued friend and counselor to many, earning her a position in the Union Army as a scout, spy, nurse, and confidante of generals. After the Civil War, she relocated to Auburn, New York, where she devoted her time and energy to the misery of the poor, opening her house as a haven for the aged, the sick, and those who were physically handicapped. Even before the American Civil War, she was a tireless advocate for the rights of women, minorities, the crippled, and the elderly in general.
She went on to establish a nursing home for African Americans on her land in New York, which she owned at the time.
Tubman had already been the topic of a slew of articles, recollections, and an autobiography at that point.
It is only necessary to go along the Byway that bears her name to appreciate the significance of her humble origins and the scope of her accomplishment.
Her mission was to help others, combat tyranny, and make a difference in the world – all ideas that are recognized along the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, where ordinary individuals performed incredible feats of bravery.
- To many abolitionists in the North, Tubman became a trusted friend and counselor, earning her a position in the Union Army as a spy, nurse, and confidante to generals. Tubman was also a scout, spy nurse, and confidante to generals. Upon her return from the Civil War, she settled in the town of Auburn, New York, where she devoted her attention to the suffering of the poor, opening her home as a refuge for the elderly, the sick, and those who were physically challenged. Throughout her life, she fought for the rights of women, minorities, the crippled, and those who were older than sixty years old. After a while, she grew more involved. In New York, she went on to establish a nursing home for African-Americans on the property she had purchased earlier in life. In the years following her death in 1913, she continued to fight for women’s rights. Tubman had already been the topic of countless essays, reminiscences, and an autobiography at that point. It has taken far too long for Tubman’s life to be seen in its correct context, after being shrouded in mythology for far too long. Visit the Byway that bears her name and you will understand the significance of her humble origins and the scope of her accomplishments. Her mission was to help others, combat tyranny, and make a difference in the world – all ideas that are recognized along the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, where ordinary people performed amazing feats.
- Following her emancipation, she spent more than a decade making secret return journeys to Maryland in order to assist her friends and family members who were also fleeing slavery. With each journey, she put her life in danger. Tubman’s last rescue expedition took place in 1860
- When the Civil War broke out, she joined the Union Army, first as a cook and nurse, then as an armed scout and spy, among other roles. With the liberation of more than 700 slaves in 1863, she made history as the first woman to command an armed expedition during the war. The next year she relocated to a home she had acquired in Auburn, New York (where she cared for her aged parents) that she had purchased in 1859. She was active in the suffrage campaign, advocating not just for the rights of women, but also for the rights of minorities, the crippled, and the elderly
- And On March 10, 1913, she passed away. Tubman is buried in Auburn, New York
- On April 20, 2016, the United States Treasury Department announced a plan for Tubman to replace Andrew Jackson as the portrait gracing the $20 bill
- And on April 20, 2016, the United States Treasury Department announced a plan for Tubman to replace Andrew Jackson as the portrait gracing the $20 bill.
Dispelling the myths about Harriet Tubman
“We believe we are familiar with Harriet Tubman, a former slave who went on to become an Underground Railroad conductor and an abolitionist. However, much of Tubman’s true life narrative has been clouded by years of myths and bogus tales, which have been spread through children’s books and have only served to obfuscate her enormous accomplishments in the process. This woman’s story is significantly more intriguing and astonishing than everything that has been spoken about her previously.” — Kate Clifford Larson, author of Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman: Portrait of an American Hero (Harriet Tubman: Portrait of an American Hero), Several misconceptions and facts regarding Harriet Tubman’s life are debunked by Kate Clifford Larson, author of the well-regarded book Harriet Tubman: Portrait of an American Hero (Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman: Portrait of an American Hero).
- We have included some of the myths in this section with the author’s permission.
- While speaking at public and private gatherings in 1858 and 1859, Tubman regularly stated that she had saved between 50 and 60 persons in eight or nine visits to different locations.
- In her 1868 biography, Sarah Bradford overstated the figures to make a point.
- Other individuals who were close to Tubman expressed strong disagreement with the statistics.
- Additionally, in addition to teaching his family and friends, Tubman also provided education to around 70 other freedom seekers from the Eastern Shore who had discovered their own route to freedom.
- The property was located south of Madison in a location known as Peter’s Neck in Dorchester County, and was owned by Brodess.
- FACT: The sole reward for Tubman’s arrest was provided in an advertising for the return of “Minty” and her brothers “Ben” and “Harry” published on October 3, 1849, in which their mistress, Eliza Brodess, paid $100 for each of them if they were apprehended outside the state of Maryland.
- Sallie Holley, a former anti-slavery activist in New York who sent a letter to a newspaper in 1867 pleading for support for Tubman in her pursuit of back pay and pension from the Union Army, concocted the number of $40,000 as a reward for Tubman’s capture and execution.
- For $40,000, which is the equivalent of many million dollars today, she would have been apprehended, and every newspaper in the country would have run an advertising announcing her arrest.
- It was too perilous for her to venture into unfamiliar territory where she did not know the people or the terrain.
During her captivity in Philadelphia, Tubman had a coded letter composed for her that was delivered to Jackson in December 1854, telling him to inform her brothers that she was on her way to rescue them and that they needed to be prepared to “climb onboard” the “Old Ship of Zion.” There is no evidence that he genuinely provided refuge to runaways in his home.
- FAITHFUL:Harriet Tubman did not participate in the construction of the canal, which was completed between 1810 and 1830 while she was still a kid.
- We do not know whether her father, Ben Ross, was involved in the construction of the canal, but he would almost probably have utilized it to move lumber.
- Tubman used a variety of ways and routes to escape slavery and to return to help others who were in need of rescue.
- She utilized disguises, walked, rode horses and wagons, sailed on boats, and rode genuine trains to get where she needed to go.
- She communicated with people through letters prepared for her by someone else and addressed to trusted persons such as Jacob Jackson, as well as by direct conversation with them.
- Rivers snaked northward, and she followed their course.
- Harriet Tubman took a tiny handgun with her on her rescue operations, mostly to protect herself from slave catchers, but also to discourage weak-hearted runaways from turning around and jeopardizing the group’s overall safety.
- TRUTH: While on her rescue operations, Tubman performed two songs to keep herself entertained.
- Tubman explained that she altered the speed of the songs to signify whether or not it was safe to come out.
- Because “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” was written and composed post-Civil War by an Afro-Cherokee Indian residing in Oklahoma, Tubman would not have been familiar with it prior to the Civil War.
- She was 27 years old when she fled slavery on her own in the fall of 1849, when she was 27 years old.
Photographs shot later in her life, as highlighted by Washington Postcritic Philip Kennicott, “had the effect of softening the wider sense of who she was, and how she achieved her heroic legacy.”
Learn Harriet Tubman’s Story at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center
The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, located in Church Creek on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, first opened its doors to the public in March 2017. Several locations surrounding the visitor center were used by Harriet Tubman during her childhood as a slave in Dorchester County. She lived, worked, and prayed in these locations. The place is where she originally fled slavery, and it is where she returned around 13 times over the course of a decade, risking her life time and time again in order to free over 70 friends and family members.
- Located at 4068 Golden Hill Road in Church Creek, Maryland.
- Donations are accepted in lieu of admission to the tourist center, which is free.
- The magnificent visitor center, which is located near the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and about 25 minutes from Cambridge, Maryland, has an exhibit hall with compelling and thought-provoking multimedia exhibits, a theater, and a gift shop, among other amenities.
- There is also a huge picnic pavilion with a stone fireplace that may be rented out for special occasions.
- In addition to the visitor center, there are more than 30 historical sites along the Maryland part of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, which is a self-guided, beautiful driving tour of the Underground Railroad.
- NOTE: The Harriet Tubman Visitor Center is not to be confused with the Harriet Tubman MuseumEducational Center, which has been in operation for more than 20 years and is maintained entirely by volunteers in the heart of Cambridge’s downtown.
- Visit the Tubman Visitor Center website for additional information, or call or email them at 410-221-2290 or [email protected] to learn more about their programs and services.
Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park
It was March 2017 that the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center in Church Creek, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, opened its doors to the general public. Several locations surrounding the visitor center were used by Harriet Tubman during her time as a slave in Dorchester County. She lived, worked, and prayed in these locations. She fled slavery from this place, and over the course of a decade she returned around 13 times, each time risking her life in order to rescue more than 70 of her friends and family members.
- Located at 4068 Golden Hill Road in Church Creek, Maryland The most up-to-date information may be found by visiting this link.
- 410-221-2290 or [email protected] are the best places to get additional information about the Tubman Visitor Center.
- In the grounds of a 17-acre state park, there are small walking pathways that lead to the visitor center.
- Both the Maryland Park Service and the National Park Service collaborated on the development of the visitor center.
- Many of the exhibitions highlight particular locations along the Tubman Byway so you may get a better sense of the tales being shared.
They were instrumental in ensuring that Tubman’s legacy would go on for future generations. Visit the Tubman Visitor Center website for additional information, or call or email them at 410-221-2290 or [email protected] to learn more about their programs and activities.
Aboard the Underground Railroad- Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged
| Images of the Harriet Tubman Home for theAged, Harriet TubmanNationalHistoric Landmarks photographs |
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad: how one woman saved hundreds from hell
The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, located in Church Creek on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, opened its doors to the public in March 2017. Harriet Tubman, who grew up as a slave in Dorchester County, lived, worked, and prayed in the vicinity of the visitor center, as well as other nearby locations. The place is where she originally fled slavery, and it is where she returned around 13 times over the course of a decade, risking her life time and time again in order to guide over 70 friends and family members to freedom.
- Church Creek, Maryland 4068 Golden Hill Rd.
- Admission is free, although contributions are accepted at the tourist center.
- The magnificent visitor center, which is located near Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and about 25 minutes from Cambridge, Maryland, has an exhibit hall with compelling and thought-provoking multimedia exhibits, a theater, and a gift shop.
- There’s also a huge picnic pavilion with a stone fireplace that may be rented out for special occasions.
- In addition to the visitor center, there are more than 30 historical sites along the Maryland segment of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, which is a self-guided, beautiful driving tour of the state.
- The Harriet Tubman MuseumEducational Center, which has been in operation for more than 20 years and is managed entirely by volunteers in downtown Cambridge, is not the same as the Tubman Visitor Center.
- Visit the Tubman Visitor Center website for additional information, or call or email them at 410-221-2290 [email protected]
When and where was Harriet Tubman born?
Araminta Ross, Tubman’s given name, would have been put to work on her family’s plantation in Dorchester County, Maryland, practically as soon as she began to walk, according to family legend. It was the same terrible initiation to slavery that she and her eight siblings endured when they were born into it. Her rigorous outdoor job, along with long hours of domestic employment as a maid and then as a cook, resulted in her being underweight and unwell at times. The little Minty, like millions of other slaves in America, became all-too familiar with the awful physical and mental torture she suffered at the hands of her owners.
She was spanked and flogged as punishment anytime the baby screamed when she was working as a nursemaid when she was just five or six years old — believed to have been around 1825-30.
- I recommend you listen to 8 audio episodes about slavery and the slave trade right now:
Minty’s harsh upbringing resulted in a fervent Christian faith, which she developed as a result of hearing Bible tales read to her by her mother, as well as extraordinary strength, courage, and a desire to put herself in danger in order to save others. These characteristics helped her so effectively in the Underground Railroad, yet they almost resulted in her death when she was a little girl. Once, as Minty was on her way to get supplies from a dry goods store, she found herself stuck between an overseer who was looking for a slave who had fled his property without permission and the slave’s pursuing master.
What was the Underground Railroad?
The term does not allude to genuine trains that went up and down the length of America in tunnels (at least not in the early nineteenth century), but rather to a system of clandestine routes that were designed to assist runaway slaves in reaching the free states of the North or Canada. In order to escape discovery, guides guided them down the circuitous routes, which frequently required trudging into the woods, crossing rivers, and climbing mountains to reach their destination. Although it was not always the case, a route may have involved conveyance, such as boats or carts.
- It was all done in secret, thus the term “underground,” and it made use of jargon from the booming railway industry.
- It was common for those participating – which included everyone from runaway slaves to rich white abolitionists and church officials – to congregate in small groups.
- ‘vigilance committees’ formed established in the bigger cities of the North, such as New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, to support the railroad.
- It struck Minty in the head, knocking her out cold and leaving her in a pool of blood.
- These remained constant throughout her life (although she claimed them to be premonitions from God).
- There was no reprieve from the horrendous conditions as the years passed, yet all of Minty’s hours of hard labor had given her a surprising amount of strength for her small five-foot body.
Despite the fact that she became Harriet Tubman in approximately 1844 – after marrying a free black man called John Tubman and choosing to use her mother’s first name – it would be another five years before she made her first steps toward freedom.
How did Harriet Tubman escape from slavery?
There were no genuine trains running up and down the length of America in tunnels (at least not in the early nineteenth century), but rather a network of secret passageways designed to assist runaway slaves in reaching the free states of the North or Canada. In order to escape discovery, guides guided them down the circuitous paths, which frequently required trudging through the woods, crossing rivers, and climbing mountains to reach their location. Occasionally, though, a route includes conveyance, such as boats or wagons, in addition to the route itself.
- Because it was being kept under wraps, it was referred to as “underground,” and it made use of jargon from the expanding railway industry.
- It was common for those engaged — who varied from runaway slaves to rich white abolitionists and church officials – to congregate in smaller groups.
- Vigilance committees sprung formed in the bigger northern cities, such as New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia, to assist the railroad’s efforts.
- Not only did she deny instructions to assist in restraining the runaway, but she also stood in the way of the white guy, leading him to hurl a large weight out of rage at her.
- Minty suffered from seizures, abrupt sleeping periods comparable to narcolepsy, and strong religious visions as a result of the lack of medical care available to a harmed slave.
- Through her whole life, she exhibited these characteristics: (although she claimed them to be premonitions from God).
- There was no reprieve from the horrendous conditions as the years passed, however all of Minty’s hours of hard work had made her unusually powerful for her little five-foot stature.
Despite the fact that she became Harriet Tubman in approximately 1844 – after marrying a free black man called John Tubman and deciding to use her mother’s maiden name – it was another five years before she made her first steps toward freedom.
An advertising for the ‘Liberty Line’ in 1844, which was a thinly veiled allusion to the Underground Railroad, and which promised “seats free, regardless of race,” is seen below. (Image courtesy of the Chicago History Museum/Getty Images.) ) Due to the fact that being a conductor required Tubman to go across slavery zone where she could be seized by armed slave hunters, she knowingly and intentionally put her life in danger on a regular basis. It only grew more perilous after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act, which made it possible for runaway slaves to be apprehended in the North and returned to their original owners.
As a result, Tubman had to find a way to get to Canada, which was under British control.
When Tubman was a conductor, her colleague William Still remarked, “Great anxieties were expressed for her safety, yet she appeared to be completely devoid of personal dread.” With her success in exploiting and growing the network to transport escaped slaves to safety, abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison dubbed Tubman the ‘Moses of her people’ for her efforts.
- She would frequently travel during the winter, when the nights were longer, and would leave with her ‘passengers’ on a Saturday evening – since runaway notices would not appear in newspapers until the following Monday – in order to avoid being discovered.
- “Either you’ll be free or you’ll die,” she declared emphatically.
- ‘General Tubman’ was contacted before to his failed 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry in the hopes of igniting a slave insurrection, and it is said that he wanted her to take part in the attack as a member of the armed forces.
- Seward was so impressed with Tubman’s work that she purchased a small plot of land near Auburn, New York – where she lived with her elderly parents, whom she had rescued during one of her final journeys – from her friend and admirer.
- Chicago History Museum/Getty Images (Photo courtesy of the Chicago History Museum) ) Having to trek into slavery area where she could be seized by armed slave hunters meant that Tubman was putting her life in danger every time she went out on the job, and she did it willingly.
- The result was an increase in the number of black persons, both slave and free, who were abducted, and as a result, even the free states became an increasingly dangerous last stop on the Underground Railroad.
- Her fortitude and faith in God’s protection, on the other hand, never faltered throughout.
- Traveling during the winter, when the nights were longer, she would frequently leave with her ‘passengers’ on a Saturday evening, because runaway notices would not appear in newspapers until the following Monday.
- It was her firm statement that became “You’ll be free or perish.” Known to abolitionists and radicals, such as John Brown, Tubman became the most well-known conductor of the Underground Railroad.
The anti-slavery politician (and future Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln) William H. Seward was so impressed with Tubman’s work that she purchased a small plot of property in Auburn, New York, where she resided with her elderly parents, whom she had saved during one of her final journeys.
Harriet Tubman and the American Civil War
Although the Underground Railroad came to a close with the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, it did not mark the end of Tubman’s heroic efforts on the Underground Railroad. She worked in the Union Army as a cook, laundress, and nurse, caring for wounded troops and escaped slaves, who were referred to as ‘contrabands,’ without regard for her own well-being. Tubman led a troop of scouts into Confederate territory after Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, laying the groundwork for the abolition of slavery.
Because of the intelligence she acquired, Colonel James Montgomery was able to launch a deadly attack on enemy fortifications, making her the first woman to command an armed assault in the United States history.
More than 750 slaves were liberated during the uprising.
What were Harriet Tubman’s actions during the American Civil War?
Tubman’s heroic actions did not come to a stop when the American Civil War erupted in 1861, despite the fact that the Underground Railroad was effectively closed down at that time. She served in the Union Army as a cook, laundress, and nurse, caring for wounded troops and fleeing slaves, who were referred to as ‘contrabands,’ and never once considered her personal safety while on the job. After Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, establishing the groundwork for the end of slavery, Tubman led a team of scouts into Confederate territory, utilizing the talents she had honed as a railroad operator.
During the attack on plantations in South Carolina on June 2, 1863, Tubman escorted Union steamboats along the Combahee River.
- When it comes to slavery, Lincoln said, “If I could save the union without liberating a single slave, I would.”
If her deeds and accomplishments aren’t enough of a testament, these final remarks eloquently depict a lady who has dedicated her life to others while seeking no recognition or glory for herself. A lady who rose to prominence in the United States while remaining anonymous. A lady who was able to escape the misery of being a slave and went on to assist others in doing the same has been honored. “Most of what I have done and suffered in the service of our cause has been done and suffered in public, and I have received much encouragement at every step of the way,” Frederick Douglass, Tubman’s friend and revered abolitionist, wrote to Tubman about her time as a conductor on the Underground Railroad.
“I have worked throughout the day; you have worked during the night.”
Jonny Wilkes is a freelance writer specialising in history
This article was first published in History Revealed in January 2017 and has since been updated.
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
- Originally published in History Revealed in January 2017, this piece is reprinted with permission.
This piece was first published in History Revealed in January 2017 and has been updated.
Review Questions
This piece was originally published in History Revealed in January 2017.
- It made it impossible for slaveholders to track down escaped enslaved folks. It allowed for heavier penalty for anyone who assisted fugitive enslaved individuals in their escape
- Therefore, Northerners who supported runaways would no longer face criminal prosecution. Its laws were applicable to the northern United States and Canada
- Nonetheless,
“When Israel was in Egypt’s territory, let my people depart!” says the prophet. They were oppressed to the point that they could no longer stand. Allow my folks to leave! Moses, please come down. All the way down in Egypt’s territory Tell old Pharaoh, “Allow my people to leave!” The lines of this devotional hymn are especially applicable to the antebellum activities of the Confederacy.
- Harriet Tubman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, William Lloyd Garrison, and John Calhoun are all historical figures.
What Christian denomination had a strong association with the anti-slavery campaign prior to the American Civil War? 4. During the period leading up to the Civil War, Harriet Tubman served as a conductor on the underground railroad.
- The War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Civil War, and the Plains Wars are all examples of historical events.
5. Harriet Tubman was referred to as “Moses” by William Lloyd Garrison since she was a descendant of Moses.
- Ran escaped from slavery and was born into it
- Published a successful abolitionist book
- Manumitted her own enslaved people
- And fought for the abolition of slavery.
6. With the passing of the Compromise of 1850, the subterranean railroad’s final goal shifted, owing to the fact that
- Canadian authorities ensured safe passage for fugitive slaves, and the completion of the Erie Canal made it easier and less expensive for them to reach New York City. There were numerous economic opportunities in the new western territories, but the new fugitive slave law increased the risks for escapees.
7. Even after the Civil War, Harriet Tubman demonstrated her conviction that she should do good for others by establishing the Harriet Tubman Foundation.
- Building a home for elderly and impoverished blacks in Auburn, New York
- Continuing to aid enslaved people in their escape from slavery by leading raids on southern plantations
- Disguising herself in order to escape from a Confederate prison and serve as a teacher
- Writing an inspiring autobiography detailing her heroic life
Free Response Questions
- Explain why Harriet Tubman made the decision to flee slavery in the first place. Give an explanation of how Harriet Tubman came to be known as “Moses.” Give an explanation as to why Underground Railroad operators like as Harriet Tubman, were forced, after 1850, to expand their routes to include Canada.
AP Practice Questions
The paths of the Underground Railroad are highlighted in red on this map. Please refer to the map that has been supplied. 1. The map that has been presented is the most accurate.
- The Underground Railroad routes are highlighted in red on this map. See the map below for further information. 1. The map that has been presented represents the situation the most clearly.
2. What is the source of the pattern shown on the supplied map?
- 2. What is the source of the pattern shown on the map provided?
Primary Sources
Lois E. Horton, ed., Harriet Tubman and the Fight for Freedom: A Brief History with Documents. Harriet Tubman and the Fight for Freedom: A Brief History with Documents. Bedford Books, Boston, Massachusetts, 2013.
Suggested Resources
Bordewich, Fergus M., ed., Bound for Canaan: The Epic Story of the Underground Railroad, America’s First Civil Rights Movement (Bound for Canaan: The Epic Story of the Underground Railroad, America’s First Civil Rights Movement). Amistad Publishing Company, New York, 2005. Catherine Clinton is the author of this work. Road to Freedom: Harriet Tubman’s Journey to Emancipation. Little Brown and Company, Boston, 2004. Eric Foner is the author of this work. Gateway to Freedom: The Underground Railroad’s Untold Story is a book on the history of the Underground Railroad.
Norton & Company, New York, 2015.