Harriet Tubman’s Underground Railroad

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Slavery had begun in 1619 in North America. The first African-American slaves were brought to Jamestown, Virginia to produce crops such as tobacco. Slavery had become more known in the American Colonies because they were used to stimulate the economy. Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin had demanded more slave labor. The number of slaves grew drastically from time to time. Slaves had endured a lot of pain from their owners. They would beat them so brutally that it would result in death. How long can a slave stay with their owner and take such harsh punishment just because they are slaves? One woman decided to change history for the slaves. Without her, who knows what the world would be like today?
Harriet Tubman was born a slave in Maryland's Dorchester County approximately in 1820. She was born with the name "Araminta" but changed it to Harriet after her mother. When she was five, she started to work as a house servant. She was raised in terrible conditions and was often being abused by her master as a child. At the age of 12, Harriet had faced a serious injury. She was hit in the head with a two-pound weight by an overseer when she was trying to block a field hand from being hit by them. Due to this injury, she had Narcolepsy, which meant she could sleep anywhere and at any time. When she was 25, she had married John Tubman, a free African-American man. Five years later, she had escaped because she feared that she was going to be sold. Tubman’s escape journey was, “Tubman was given a piece of paper by a white neighbor with two names, and told how to find the first house on her path to freedom. At the first house she was put into a wagon, covered with a sack, and driven to her next destination.” (The Life of Harriet Tubman). Continuing ...

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...s a courageous woman who helped hundreds of slaves escape to freedom. She will never be forgotten. She was nicknamed “Moses” because of the prophet Moses in the Bible who too led people to freedom. She created a network called the Underground Railroad, which led the slaves to freedom from the South to the North and Canada. Alongside help with other conductors, they did not lose anyone.

Works Cited

"Harriet Tubman Timeline." Harriet Tubman Timeline. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.
"The Life of Harriet Tubman - New York History Net." The Life of Harriet Tubman - New York
History Net. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.
PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.
"Harriet Tubman." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.
"Harriet Tubman - Leading Slaves into Freedom." Harriet Tubman - Leading Slaves into
Freedom. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.

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