Harriet Tubman Research Paper

Kelsey Afoakwa

Mrs. Rella

English

February 23, 2016

The Adventurous Life of Harriet Tubman

“I freed a thousand slaves, I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew that they were slaves.” Stated Harriet Tubman, a very influential woman. Her childhood was very hard for her, but she was a leader from the start of her life. Because she was a leader and was strong willed, she escaped slavery and her bad marriage. She succeeded in her mission to help others using the Underground Railroad and making a home for elderly African Americans. Since Harriet Tubman freed trapped slaves, was a union spy, and was a leader, Harriet Tubman was one of the most influential people for slaves, African Americans, and all people. At about 1819 to 1825 Harriet

At age five, she had to take care of an infant and do housework simultaneously. She remembered staying awake through the whole night to make sure the baby didn’t cry. Every time a cry was heard, her master, Mrs. Susan would whip Harriet. Those were the first scars out of many others that would remain on her for life. She had many other jobs at young ages. At eight, she was hired to another household. One day, while her masters were fighting, she took a lump of sugar to eat, which she had never tasted before. She was so petrified of the consequences that she ran away from her masters’ house. For three days, she had to compete with pigs for just scraps of

She married John Truman, a free African-American at 25, in 1844. Even though she was married to him and liked him, he did not share her dream. Apparently, it was a bad marriage from the start of it. Shortly after her marriage, she decided to investigate her own history. She had found that technically, she was free. Her mother’s former owner had died, freeing her mother. The children’s status depended on the mother. After the mother became free, the children became free too. Her lawyer advised her to drop the case, knowing that the court would probably not hear her. Dejectedly, she dropped it. Knowing that she was actually free and not a slave, led her to plan her escape and hate her situation. Since she was a slave, she knew that she could be sold and her marriage could be split up. She begged John to go with her but, he refused to go to the north, where blacks were free. It dawned on her then, that if he wouldn’t go, she would have to go alone. She knew that she had to escape her current situation. When she said that she would go by herself. He answered with questions such as “When it's nighttime, how will you know which way is north?" and "What will you eat?". He also said that if she left him, he would tell her master. She thought he was kidding until she saw his eyes and knew that he meant what he