Harriet Tubman Dbq Essay

The lives of many all rested on the shoulders of one person, Harriet Tubman. Harriet Tubman, originally Araminta Ross, accomplished a lot in her life, from the age of 27 all the way to her death at 91. She was born in 1822 into slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland. John Tubman was the man she married in 1844 and, by taking her mother’s first name and his last name, Araminta Ross became Harriet Tubman. In 1849, she decided to run away after the death of the plantation owner. From her home, she went up to Philadelphia and gained her freedom. From this point on, she dedicated herself to helping others. Throughout her life, Harriet Tubman cared for the needy, was a conductor for the Underground Railroad, but her greatest achievement was serving

She would take them in and care for them to make sure that they were safe and well cared for. Everyone was cared for, even, “The aged,... the babe deserted, the epileptic, the blind, the paralyzed,... all found shelter and welcome.” (Document E). Harriet Tubman did not care about status or what another person’s disability was. Her sole goal was to ensure everyone’s wellbeing. Now, Harriet Tubman was not the wealthiest person, but she made sure to have enough to care for the people around her. At one point she would care for, “...six to eight people…”, not including herself or her husband. (Document E). Instead of kicking them out, she would invite them to her personal residency and make sure that they were treated right and, with the help of her husband, make sure that they had everything they needed. Although this is a notable achievement, it is not her greatest achievement because she never really put her life on the line for these people and was not in much danger. This was Harriet Tubman’s life as she helped those less fortunate than

Even though she was a freed slave who used this network of people to gain freedom, she continued to go back and free others in the same situation as she was. As time went on and the Underground Railroad became more successful, the Northern states were no longer a safe spot for the former slaves. The Bloodhound or Fugitive Slave Act meant that any escaped slave found in the North must be returned to the South. Canada was now the only way for them to be truly free. Harriet Tubman would travel about 160 miles from Bucktownto Philadelphia, then another 375 miles up to Canada to help give the former slaves the freedom they deserved. (Document A). This was no easy feat as they would have to walk all this way at night to avoid being captured. Harriet Tubman would also have to return to the South through this route to save more people. Overall, she saved over 38 people over the course of 10 years. (Document B). These 38 people were a mix of adults, children, family, strangers, no matter who it was, Harriet Tubman wanted to save them. Despite the fact that this is a remarkable achievement, it is not her greatest accomplishment because she did not break many boundaries with this work, though she did save many people. This was Harriet Tubman’s achievement of working in the Underground