A little African-American girl looks out of a window, just as she puts her master's baby to bed. She doesn't dream of becoming a great savior, known to everyone. He only wants the best for her and her family. Someone shouts her name, known to few, and she turns from the window. No one knew that many years later she would become a famous heroine that everyone looked up to. Everyone would know his name. This is Harriet Tubman. Harriet Tubman did a lot in her life, but when she was little she had no intention of becoming who she is today. Yes, she wanted to be free, but she never thought it was possible. She just wanted to be safe and away from all the beatings and bad care. “Before she became the great Harriet Tubman, she started out on a plantation in Maryland, known as Araminta “'Minty' Ross.” Soon she would be known. Harriet Tubman would be known for her early life, escaping slavery, and her help in the Civil War. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Sometime in 1820, Minty Ross was born on a slave plantation in Maryland. “She says she was born in 1825, but her death certificate says 1815 and her grave says 1820.” Minty was born in a small cabin with no windows or furniture. His parents knew how to read and write, that's why there is no written record of his birth. Minty's slave master was Edward Brodas. His parents' names were Harriet Green and Benjamin Ross. Minty's grandmother, also her mother's mother, arrived on a slave ship from Africa. Her grandmother was named Modesty and was purchased by the Pattison family when she arrived from Africa. Minty's mother was supposed to be freed after her master's death, because it was in his will, but they never told her mother. This also means that Minty should have been free. Minty's father was born in 1795 and was what they called a full-blooded negro. Benjamin was also a skilled woodsman. As soon as Minty could walk, she began to work, as was customary for slave children (McDonough, Who was Harriet Tubman 7). Minty never got to play or go to school like most children should. He was always working and that was all he knew how to do. Minty never had the chance to learn to read or write, but if she could, I bet she would take it. Minty worked for many people as a child. Her master sent her to other plantations to work for their masters as a maid, to take care of children and similar jobs. She was too young to work the fields efficiently (McDonough, who was Harriet Tubman 11). Once, in another master's house, he decided to steal sugar. He had never had it before and thought it was delicious. Her temporary owner found out and started running at her with a whip! Poor Minty just wanted to try it, but she had to quickly run away from her furious master. Luckily for Minty, she was much faster than her master, so she ran out the door and didn't stop running until she was sure the lady had stopped chasing her. Minty stayed in a pigsty for five days and fought with pigs for food scraps. He had to go back because he was starving and had nowhere else to go. Minty reluctantly returned to her master and received a terrible whipping. She was also sent back to her owner after what happened. Her owner then sent her to work in the field, which was very hard for women in general, but heartbreaking for her young age (McDonough, Who was Harriet Tubman 20). Minty, however, felt the first ideas of freedom while workingin the field and heard stories of people going North to be free. One day, Minty was at the market to buy food for her master, when she saw a man trying to escape from his master and run away north. The man ran out the door and Minty stood in front so that the master could not reach the fugitive. The master threw a two-pound weight at the fugitive, but instead hit Minty in the head. Some people took Minty back to her cabin, because she was unconscious and bleeding. Minty's mother remained by her side throughout her recovery. No one had faith that she would survive. The injury left a scar right in front of Minty's head, which is why she always wore a headband. He recovered, but suffered from headaches and sleep attacks for the rest of his life. Field work also brought her closer to God. She loved the outdoors and the nature that surrounded her. He believed it was all a gift from God and was meant to be there. A few years after this incident, Minty got married to John Tubman. The relationship was not very good, and it is even said that he beat Minty and threatened to illegally sell her to someone else. John Tubman was a free African American, so Minty could do nothing against him and his threats. So, the problem of selling became bigger. John wasn't the only one threatening her. Minty's owner had just died and there was a great chance that she would be auctioned off. But Minty was brave and bold, so she didn't want this to happen. She decided that she would go North and gain freedom. Minty went alone for the first time, which was unusual given that she was a woman. He used the underground railroad. The Underground Railroad was a series of stops and houses used by fugitives to escape. The houses and rest stops provided rest and shelter for the night and also helped the slaves from being captured. Houses could be marked with something or look a certain way so that slaves would know it was a safe place (McDonough, Who was Harriet Tubman 45). When she arrived in the city, people didn't want to believe that she had gone alone. Minty then decided to change her name, to celebrate her 90-mile journey to freedom. She went from Araminta “Minty'' Ross to Harriet Tubman. Harriet then returned to get her husband a few years later, because she was alone. When she went back, she found that he had remarried, so she freed other slaves on the plantation, including some of her family. He returned several times and freed over 70 people. She also became a director of the Underground Railroad. As a conductor on the Underground Railroad, you risk your life to free slaves. If only one were to die in your group, it would be the leader because it is their job to protect all the slaves on this journey. Harriet began to be called Moses and the people of the South began to put a bounty on her head because of how many people she was freeing. Historians have studied his ways and tactics for so many years because they worked well. They were amazed at how well Harriet could hide and move so many people at once. Harriet prayed to God constantly and said that he answered her and showed her the way. Harriet was also called Moses by the people she freed and on her bounty posters. People were amazed at what this person was doing, and even more amazed when they learned that she was a woman. However, Harriet had to start moving people to Canada, because slave kidnappers were infesting the North, so it became dangerous for her to free people. Pro-slavery speakers also tried to say that Underground Railroad conductors, like Harriet, were the real slave kidnappers and thieves because they took people. Actually, Harriet Tubmanand many others were freeing the "kidnapped" people and doing everyone a favor. He stopped for a while, only carrying out a few important missions to free people. Then the civil war began. Harriet Tubman had settled in Canada when the Civil War began. At first, Harriet served only as a nurse and cook for both African Americans and white men in the North. Harriet worked at Sick and Injured Hospital No. 6. He did this work voluntarily, because he wanted to help end slavery in any way he could. The North did not want the South to secede and also wanted to end slavery (McDonough, Who was Harriet Tubman 72). When the troops returned to enslaved people, Harriet helped teach them how to think of themselves as free people, because they had never been free before. He took care of all the soldiers and fed them well. Harriet gave medicine to soldiers, chased away insects that swarmed around patients, cooked food, and much more for them. He later became a spy. She was asked to become a spy personally by Colonel James Montgomery. Harriet worked for the Northern side of the Civil War and admired Abraham Lincoln. He knew that Lincoln would help end slavery because he also helped stop the slave shipments from arriving. Harriet was small enough to pass anywhere without being caught and seemed harmless. She was able to get to the south side and talk to the blacks there. They trusted her and shared whatever information they could with her. However he couldn't just go to the other side and free them all, so they had to do it in battle. Harriet became commander of intelligence operations for the Southern Department of the Union Army and had nine scouts under her command (McDonough, who was Harriet Tubman 78). White men were not used to being bossed around by women, despite a black woman, but they quickly learned to respect her. They also ended up admiring her and trying to be like her for her courage. Harriet was used to the danger of being captured because she was once a conductor on the Underground Railroad. He was not afraid of danger. Harriet led many raids and battles against the South, on land and above. He prevented the arrival of Southern supplies and freed the slaves. One of his great exploits was when he led a raid on a rice plantation. That plantation had more than 100 slaves and she helped free them all. Harriet also carried a gun with her and wasn't afraid to use it. The only problem was that she had to wear a long skirt. It was considered improper for a woman to wear men's clothing, so she had no choice. She went on a mission in a long skirt and couldn't do it. He could not move freely. After that, she went to some clothes and they gave her a dress with a short skirt, worn with trousers underneath, and a jacket. He could move freely and feel comfortable doing so. Harriet was old and tired after being a slave, conducting, and serving in the army for so long, so she wanted to retire. After all, he had saved over 300 slaves. The government owed her over $1,000 which, valued today, would be equivalent to more than $30,000. Fredrick Douglass, a high-ranking official and friend of Harriet's, even wrote to the government asking for the money. Fredrick Douglass met Harriet when he went to her in Canada to ask for help in the Civil War (Blight 299). He thought Harriet was legendary and could help their cause. Fredrick Douglas was born a slave and taught himself to read and write. Harriet ended up never receiving the money she was owed in her long life. Harriet became very old after being.