HARRIET TUBMAN Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland in 1822. Tubman was born to slave parents, Harriet "Rit" Green and Ben Ross Tubman. Her name given at birth was Araminta "Minty" Ross. Tubman 's mother was assigned to "the big house" and had very little time for her family; unfortunately, as a child Tubman was responsible for taking care of her younger brother and baby, as was typical in large families. When she was five or six years old, Brodess hired her out as a nursemaid to a woman named "Miss Susan". Tubman was ordered to watch the baby as it slept; whenever it woke up and cried, she was beaten. Tubman recalled a particular day when she had been whipped five different times before breakfast. The scars remained with her for the rest of her life. She thought of ways to resist running away for five days. She wore several layers of clothing to protect her from hurting during beatings. As a child, Tubman also worked at the home of James Cook, a planter. She was also responsible of checking the muskrat traps in nearby marshes, even after falling sick with the measles. After becoming ill James Cook sent her back to Brodess, where her mother took care of her until she was …show more content…
At this point Tubman came up with the idea of the Underground Railroad. After she escaped she successfully she was determined to pave the way to freedom to others. Tubman carefully planned and accomplished thirteen missions to rescue approximately seventy enslaved families and friends using the network of antislavery activists and safe houses now known as the Underground Railroad. She later assisted abolitionist John Brown to recruit men to participate in the raid on Harpers Ferry. In addition to her assisting John Brown, Tubman was an active participant in the post-war era in the struggle for women 's