Harriet+Tubman

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This photo was taken in 1868. This map is a picture of Northern America where most slaves would go for freedom.

Harriet Tubman was an African American leader during the 1800's. She was an African American whose daring rescues helped hundreds of slaves escape to freedom. She became the most famous leader of the underground railroad, which aided slaves fleeing to the free states or to Canada. Blacks called her Moses, after the Biblical figure who led the Jews from Egypt.

Harriet was born a slave in Bucktown, Maryland, near Cambridge. Her name was Araminta Ross, but as a child, she became known by her mother's name, Harriet. Her father taught her a knowledge of the woods that later helped her in her rescue missions. When Harriet was 13, she interfered with a supervisor to save another slave from punishment. The enraged supervisor fractured Harriet's skull with a 2-pound (0.9-kilogram) weight. She recovered but suffered blackouts for the rest of her life. (see pictures below)

Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery in 1849 and went to Philadelphia to the underground railroad. She then vowed to return to Maryland and help other slaves escape. Tubman made her first trip back shortly after Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. This law made it a crime to help a runaway slave. Tubman returned 18 more times during the 1850's and helped about 300 slaves escape. Tubman was never caught and never lost a slave on any of her 19 rescue trips. She carried a gun and threatened to kill anyone who tried to turn back. Rewards for her capture once totaled about $40,000. Below there are pictures of Harriet Tubman helping other slaves to freedom.



=Harriet Tubman believed that=


 * The underground railroad isn't actually underground or a railroad. It is a secret path which leads to other secret paths from the slave states to the free states. (This information was from Mr.Kellner.)

On one of her missions, Tubman had just bought some live chickens in Bucktown when she saw her former master walking toward her. She quickly let the chickens go and chased after them before he could recognize her.

If the hunting dogs were following her, she would throw some pepper down to get the dogs off her tracks.

Harriet Tubman died on March 10, 1913. The people of Auburn erected a plaque in her honor. Below there is a copy of the plaque.

A United States postage stamp bearing her portrait was issued in 1978. Below there is a copy of the stamp. ==