Harriet Tubman’s Greatest Achievement A leader, determined, selfless soul, Harriet Tubman. Not only was Tubman an escaped slave, but she led many other runaway slaves to freedom and created history. Harriet Tubman was born in Dorchester, Maryland. Tubman was born around 1822 because few knew or cared about her birthday since she was a slave. Not only was Tubman a slave, but she was born into slavery. Tubman’s original name was Araminta Ross, but she changed her name because she married a black man. Tubman changed her first name to Harriet after her mother and changed her last name to her husband’s (Background Essay). Harriet Tubman’s greatest achievement was the Underground Railroad. Tubman’s time as a conductor was significant and impactful: …show more content…
Document B reveals that from December 1850 to December 1860, the Underground Railroad set slaves free. The length of each trip varied, with some lasting four to five months while others spanned three years. Throughout Tubman’s trips, she took her friends and family. The first two trip lengths were the same but the pick-up and end points changed throughout the years due to the places where slaves lived and the Fugitive Slave Act that changed the free states (Document B). This explains that Harriet Tubman’s time spent was valuable and not a waste. Although Tubman could have gotten caught at any moment, she risked her freedom to help others escape slavery. Not only did Tubman take years of going back and forth, but she did it for the slaves to have their freedom. Tubman got the slaves to freedom and outsmarted the slave owners from capturing them. Though Tubman had to change her starting and ending points multiple times, she kept going even if it slowed her down. Harriet Tubman faced geographical and social dangers. Document A illustrates the path Tubman and the slaves took for the Underground Railroad. The path moved north—additionally, multiple paths connected from the many ways to get on the Underground Railroad, it took about 127 miles of walking on their feet. Some geographical obstacles they faced were the woods, different climates, wild animals, and snakes. Social obstacles included diseases, getting caught, hunger, racist people, foot pain, and the number of slaves that came along (Document A). Although the dangers were there, all Tubman wanted was to get everybody to safety and freedom. The slaves did not mind the risks because they wished to escape slavery, although death was a great danger they