Harriet Tubman Thesis

Ashley Ma

Mrs. Byrd

ELA 8

5/18/23

The underground railroad and how they changed slavery forever

“For no man should take me alive; I should fight for my liberty as long as my strength lasts, and when the time comes for me to go, the Lord will let them take me.” - Harriet Tubman (Goodreads) Harriet Tubman was a worker in the Underground Railroad. She was one of the most famous conductors there and is known to have an ambition like no other. The underground railroad and Harriet Tubman represent the pain and the sacrifices that were made in this era. It helps us remember our mistakes and what equality is. The underground railroad showed all the pains and conflicts of the past. The underground railroad shows the people's determination

She is known to be ambitious and hardworking when coming to the underground railroad. She had decided to join the underground railroad around 1950. After she escaped from the South to the North she decided to join the underground railroad after she got a vision from God. Since she traveled alone to the North the underground railroad was her family. Even though Harriet had just escaped the South, she chose to be brave and help other people. Many people admire her bravery for choosing to help others like her other than just staying in the North quietly. Harriet Tubman was born an enslaved woman and worked all her life. She worked jobs her entire life until she met her husband. Her husband did have a higher status than her however this did not help her with her work. She continued and one day she realized that she couldn’t do this anymore. She decided to run away with her brothers since her husband wouldn’t leave with her. The first time they went they had to turn back and the brothers backed out. However, Harriet, wanting to be free, ran away at night alone. After she arrived in the North, she joined the underground railroad. Even though there was a big chance and risk that Harriet could be caught, she dreamt of a better life, and that led her to the place she is today. It is so important for our generation and future to know what Harriet Tubman went through and the sacrifices she made to have

The Quakers were the first group to help enslaved workers. A man and a Quaker named Issac T. Hopper started the network in Philadelphia that helped Enslaved workers run away. Simultaneously people in North Carolina made abolitionist groups who helped make trails and places for the people to stay once they escaped. (History) Doing this was not an easy task since this was technically illegal and it all had to be in secret. The Quakers and the abolitionists risked their jobs to help this organization. Because of the underground railroad about 50,000 or more enslaved workers were saved out of slavery. The official start of the underground railroad started in 1831 when a slave escaped from Kentucky to Ohio and got caught. The owner blamed the organization, or the “underground railroad” for helping the slave get freedom and run away. (National Park) After this incident for several more years, people ran away and the name “underground railroad” was common when talking about slaves who ran away. In the underground railroad, there was a big danger. Bounty Hunters. Bounty hunters caught the workers of the underground railroad and the slaves trying to run away. To help them from the bounty hunters, a “vigilance committee” was created to protect the people. In the underground railroad, “Conductors' ' were known as fugitive enslaved people,