Harriet Tubman And The Underground Railroad

Slavery was a gloomy time in America’s past. Not only did slavery isolate millions of families, it destroyed the white man’s reputation to African people. Slavery was one of the most tragic events in American history. It originated when the first African slaves were dropped off in the colony of Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. The catastrophic events of what the African Americans went through simply cannot be explained in one essay; however by the end of this article a better understanding of this horrifying time period will be included. The one thing that many people admired during slavery was Harriet Tubman’s key role in saving hundreds of slaves. Tubman was a runaway slave who had escaped in 1849 yet still returned to save family and non-relatives. During her lifespan she accomplished many triumphs; however one particularly that changed the world forever and that went the most recognized was the legendary Underground Railroad. Harriet Tubman, originally from Dorchester County, Maryland in 1822, was practically born into slavery. From partaking in child-care and doing work out on plantations, it is accurate to say that she never had a normal childhood. Physical violence played a vast role during her years of being a slave. The following sentence was found in an article about the early life of Harriet Tubman and can verify that she experienced violence continuously for the duration of these years. “In 1849, Tubman became seriously ill with complications from her head injury, and her owner decided to sell her, but could not find a buyer. After her owner’s sudden death, the family began selling off all of the slaves.” This sentence shows that the slaveholders were ruthless and impertinent. The one thing that remained persistent while Tubman was treated unfairly was her ability to stand up for what she believed in no matter how severe the consequences were. Her courage is what motivated her to help others, escape the harsh realities they were living in. In the 1820’s, the Underground Railroad had commenced. This process was a secret network allowing fugitives to escape the brutal conditions they were under. The plan was to transport the slaves out of the south and to either Canada or the north. The process required various steps and was anything but easy for the African Americans. The slaves had to first escape …show more content…
The locations where the fugitives, also referred to as cargo, would hide were known as stations and the people guiding the runaways were known as conductors. The Underground Railroad was unappreciated by many people in the south. Southerners were irritated because the more slaves escaping, the less used to farm and work out on plantations. All of this anger that was within the southern residents soon led to Southern Succession.
The Underground Railroad was Harriet Tubman’s greatest achievement because it changed the world forever. She influenced many people and made them feel more passionately on the rights for all people of different color. This network gave an abundance of evidence to the African American Abilities and gave expression to African American values. It also brought together men and women of all race to focus on issues of mutual concern. The importance of this secret network is not measured by how many successful escapes were attempted, but how it exposed the forbidding realities of American