The Underground Railroad and Iowa: On the Road from Slavery to Freedom
“I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person… There was such a glory over everything. The sun came up like gold through the trees, and I felt like I was in Heaven.” Harriet Tubman uttered these words when she arrived in Pennsylvania, a free woman at last (National Geographic). Years later, when talking about the reasons she ran away, Ms. Tubman would state, “[There are] two things I [have] a right to and these are Death and Liberty. One or the other I mean to have. No one will take me back alive” (America’s Civil War, 42). While most research on the Underground Railroad focuses on the northern states, the state of Iowa played an essential role in the Railroad. Clinton, Iowa was often a runaway’s last stop before crossing the Mighty Mississippi River.
The first documentation of the name Underground Railroad is from the year 1831 and in one case, attributed to the owner of a former slave, Tice David. David successfully gained freedom by traversing along small creeks, rivers, and dense woods and his owner finally gave up searching for him. Upon returning to Kentucky, Tice David’s former slave-owner announced, “He must have gone on an underground road” (America’s Civil War, 42). Another name given to the Underground Railroad was the Freedom Train (National Underground Railroad Freedom Center) and Harriet Tubman was inarguably one of the most famous conductors on this train, leading thousands of slaves to their freedom in the north.
Since the formation of the Iowa Territory, the largest population group, settling in what would become Iowa, came from southern states. Because of this, early historians assumed that Iowa would tak...
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...ng, 1983.
Patrick, Kathy. Escaped Slaves on the Underground Railroad found welcome havens in Ohio’s Oberlin and Wellington. America’s Civil War – Travel. May 1994: 66 – 68.
“Harriet Tubman”. New Standard Encyclopedia. Standard Education Corporation. Volume 17. Chicago: 1994. (no author listed).
National Geographic Web site March 28, 2002
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/99/railroad/>
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center March 28, 2002
http://www.undergroundrailroad.org/>
“Underground Railroad”. New Standard Encyclopedia. Standard Education Corporation. Volume 18. Chicago: 1994. (no author listed).
Wilmot, Franklin A. “Disclosures and confessions of Frank A. Wilmot, the slave thief and Negro runner”. Philadelphia: Barclay & Co. 1860. Library of American Civilization. McIntyre Library, UWEC Campus. Eau Claire, WI.
He implies that her sudden fame of her tremendous efforts to overcome her racial oppression was strategically planned to help support the movements for equality in labor and civil rights. Tubman gave these social fighters a symbol for their cause. For Tubman, McPherson also investigated the level of truthfulness in her legend, as discussed by her biographers. The author grappled with her medical history of seizures documented through her dictations to those around her who were literate and also through the accounts of others working close to her, saying that these extreme medical issues conflict the writings on her physical and mental strength. Furthermore, comparing Tubman’s seemingly miraculous ability not to get caught with another fugitive slave of the time, Harriet Jacobs, McPherson further suggests that the legend of Harriet Tubman may be nothing more than that. Questioning the validity of Tubman’s “primary” sources allows McPherson to show that her popularized image could feasibly have been exaggerated for political
In the todays century, the responsibilities, roles, and opportunities for nursing and nurse education has grown abundantly to that of modern day nurses. Many nurses in the eighteen century were not educated nurses and never attended nursing school; however, they still provided care for the sick, poor, and needy and played a vital role in health maintenance. With the hard work from many notable nurses in history such as Florence Nightingale, Clara Barton, and Isabel Robb and the persistence and dedication for change from influential nurses such as Mary Mahoney and Mabel Staupers; nursing today has transformed in many aspects of practice. Although nursing as a profession is continuously evolving throughout the years, the core foundation of nursing hasn’t changed in that nursing is a profession of caring for others and servicing those in need.
The Underground Railroad was an escape network of small, independent groups of individuals bound together by the common belief that enslaving a human being was immoral. A loosely structured, informal system of people who, without regard for their own personal safety. Conducting fugitives from slavery to free states, and eventually to Canada where they could not be returned to slavery was a dangerous undertaking.
The Underground Railroad received its name from two events involving masters chasing after the slaves. In 1831 a slave escaped to Ohio and has to swim across the Ohio River because that was the only way to escape his master. His master got into a small and continued to trail him. The slave reached the shore and then disappeared. When his master wasn’t able to find him, he told his friends that, “he must have gone off on an underground road”. Eight years after this incident, spoke of the torture of a captured slave. The reporter said he told of a railroad that went underground all the way to Boston. This is how the Underground Railroad became the Underground Railroad, although it doesn’t deal with railroads or underground (The Underground Railroad by: Shaaron Cosner).
After Harriet Tubman had successfully freed herself, she returned to the dangerous ground she just fled from to help free her family. After formulating these first few rescues, Harriet had begun to establish the Underground Railroad that would help her free hundreds of slaves from discrimination and injustice in the southern parts of the United States. The Underground Railroad was a secret transportation route that escaped slaves would use to travel North towards freedom. Harriet had made over 19 trips to the Deep South and rescued over 300 slaves during the years she was involved with the Underground Railroad. There was an immense amount of planning and direction that was needed in order for this escape route to be successful. She was in charge of people’s lives an...
Numerous are mindful of the considerable deed that Harriet Tubman executed to free slaves in the south. Then again, individuals are still left considerably unaware about in which the way they were safeguarded and how she triumphed each and every deterrent while placing her life at risk of being captured. She is deserving of the great honor she has garnered by todays general society and you will find out her in the biography. The title of this biography is “Harriet Tubman, the Road to Freedom.” The author of this piece is Catherine Clinton. ”Harriet Tubman, the road to Freedom” is a charming, instructive, and captivating book that history appreciates and is a memoir than readers will cherish. The Target audience of the biography is any readers
Kearney, N.R. (2012). Advancing your career: Concepts of professional nursing (5th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: FA Davis
...uickly changing medical technology and environment. The bickering and infighting amongst nurses has to come to a stop if the profession is to move forward alongside the other medical professions. It is too late to take nursing back to the point of basic care of the 19th century now fulfilled by certified nurse aides. A nurse is the first and last person many people will ever see. They provide complex care, recognize symptoms and changes when the ever shrinking physician pool is not available, advocate for patient and families, and care deeply for their patients recovery. In this paper the author used past nursing history, current medical demands and advancements, and clinical patient outcomes to argue that the minimum education for a nurse should be a Baccalaureate degree in order to meet the Institute of Medicines goal of 80% of nurses should have BSNs by 2020.
This is a research paper conducted on the very highly pursuited field of nursing. Nursing is a profession in the healthcare field that focuses or assisting others. Not to mention, nurses are heroes because of the many lives they save every day. This is an example that one doesn’t need tights or a cape to be a hero. Never the less, there are many reasons one may want to become nurse. Some of those reasons may be for personal gain or the greater good. However, before becoming a nurse one needs to be educated about educational requirements, licenses and certifications, projected salaries, and the projected job outlook for the next five – ten years for nursing. This research paper will provide thorough information on those four major aspects of
The Underground Railroad despite occurring centuries ago continues to be an “enduring and popular thread in the fabric of America’s national historical memory” as Bright puts it. Throughout history, thousands of slaves managed to escape the clutches of slavery by using a system meant to liberate. In Colson Whitehead’s novel, The Underground Railroad, he manages to blend slave narrative and history creating a book that goes beyond literary or historical fiction. Whitehead based his book off a question, “what if the Underground Railroad was a real railroad?” The story follows two runaway slaves, Cora and Caesar, who are pursued by the relentless slave catcher Ridgeway. Their journey on the railroad takes them to new and unfamiliar locations,
West, E., Griffith, W., Iphofen, R. (2007, April vol.16/no.2). A historical perspective on the nursing
Barnet, Diane, RN. "What Does It Mean to Be a Nurse?" Working Nurse. N.p., 2014.
The history of nurses hadn’t developed until the nineteenth century. The first law was passed to require that nurses attain a license in 1938. After passing this law, the New York State began a movement to have certain programs to promise new standards in the field. Since the first schools were opened the training and criteria has changed tremendously. Education standards for nurses have improved in many different ways. Programs are an option throughout the country, and there are laws to back up the qualification and training standards for licensure. The nursing field is an important role as a part of the health care team, and can benefit one is so many ways. The history of nurses has changed from being a minor occupation to a major one. In today’s society people rely on nurses, doctors, and specialists more than ever. Nurses have brightened our future in the most beneficial way (Hopke 592).
Adult Nursing is a very rewarding career which provides endless opportunities. I would describe myself as a caring and compassionate person. I believe I possess these qualities naturally. I am compelled to put other people’s needs before my own. I can contribute my personal qualities to this course of being dedicated and determined into committing myself to this 3 year course and excelling academically. Personally, caring for my mother with high blood pressure made me interested in the world of medicine. This long term sickness inspired me to gain more experience outside of the home and volunteer which confirmed that this was the right course for me. I am fascinated by the practical aspect that the course involves as well as the theoretical
It is fairly common for one to think that nurses have one job description and they all do the same work. In general, nurses deliver a variety of services to the community. Nurses are there to provide service and cater to the sick, advocate healthy and fruitful [1] lifestyle, and prevent injuries and diseases (“What Does a Nurse Do”). Nursing is a great career with a variety of jobs within it and caters to different skills people might possess and different lifestyles people might live or want to live. With that being said, many wonder about how to become a nurse [2], what nurses do on a day to day basis, how much nurses earn, and the job outlook, so they can determine