Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

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532

Tubman, Harriet

tubman

UndergroUnd railroad

The “Underground railroad” was not really a

railroad but an elaborate network of escape routes

that was described using railway terms. runaway

slaves, known as “freight” or “passengers,” were

helped to flee secretly at night. guides called

“conductors” led them from one “station,”

or stopping place, to the next. The

escape routes stretched all the way from

the states of the South to the north and

Canada. during the day, helpers hid

fugitives in barns and haylofts.

Thousands of antislavery campaigners—

both black and white, and many of them

women—risked their lives to operate

the “railroad.”

STopping plaCe

every 10–20 miles (15–30 km) along the

route was a “station,” or safe house, where

the “passengers” could rest or hide in

safety. This sign (right) commemorates

a “station” of 1821.

rUnaway SlaveS

The northern states had

banned slavery by the early

1800s, but it remained legal in

the South until 1865. laws

passed in 1793 and 1850 made it

a crime to help runaway slaves.

Buffalo

general moSeS

Harriet Tubman was a brave woman

who believed that god gave her

courage and strength. She was

so successful a “conductor”

that angry plantation owners

offered a huge reward for her

capture. She traveled during

the winter, meeting runaway

slaves about 10 miles (15 km)

from their plantations and

then leading them to safety.

She escaped capture more

than once and never lost a

slave on her escape missions.

L. Ontario

Kingston

CANADA

Ogdensburg

Rochester

Oswego

Syracuse

Elmira

Philadelphia

New

York

New

Haven

Boston

Montpelier

Atlantic

Ocean

Appalachian

Mountains

Albany

BlaCK ameriCanS owe mUCH to the bravery and determination

of Harriet Tubman. Between 1850 and 1861, she led more than 300 black

american slaves to freedom on what was known as the “Underground

railroad.” Her courageous work earned her the nickname “general

moses,” after the Biblical figure moses who led the Jews

out of slavery in egypt. Tubman was born into slavery

and, like many other slaves, experienced brutal

treatment at the hands of her white masters. in 1849,

she escaped from a maryland plantation and made her

way to philadelphia. She vowed to go back and rescue

other slaves, and a year later she returned to maryland

to help members of her family escape. in all, she made

19 journeys back to the South, risking capture and

possible death. during the Civil war (1861-65), she

worked for the Union army in South Carolina. after

slavery was abolished, she continued to fight for

black rights, setting up schools for black children

and a home for elderly black americans.

c. 1820 Born into slavery.

1849 escapes from slavery via

the Underground railroad.

1850 Fugitive Slave act makes

it a crime to help runaway

slaves. Tubman makes her

first trip as a “conductor.”

1850-61 leads over 300

people to freedom.

1857 leads her parents

to freedom in auburn,

new york.

1861-65 Serves as nurse,

scout, and spy for the

Union army.

1913 dies.

Harriet Tubman

(far left) with a group

of freed slaves

Map of

Underground

Railroad

escape routes

Find out more

Civil rights

Civil war

King, Jr., martin luther

Slavery

540- United Kingdom, history of

Erie

L. Erie

Toronto

SlaveS For Sale

Slaves had no rights. They were

bought and sold as property. By

law, they were not allowed to

own anything, assemble in

groups of more than five, or

even learn to read and write.

Jamestown

UNITED STATES

US_532_Tubman_Harriet.indd 532 12/02/16 11:19 am