In the 1840¹s and 1850¹s American abolitionist¹s were a small minority in every part of the country. Harriet Tubman was one of the women who joined the attack on slavery. She stood out from most of the other abolitionists. The evidence that I will present to you shows how she wasn¹t satisfied merely to be free or even to give speeches against slavery. Harriet Tubman was important to the abolition movement because she put her ideas to action.
Harriet was born a slave in Bucktown, Maryland 1. From the time she was born she was taught to be wary of the white men. Two of her sisters had been sold to a slave trader and she vowed that she would never let that happen to her.2 From my reading, Harriet Tubman seemed different from most of the other slaves around her. She had a rebellious nature, always getting into trouble. Her parents introduced her to religion, thinking maybe it would crush her rebellious nature.
One way to deal with a difficult child was religion. Ben and Rit [Harriet¹s parents] were regular churchgoers and Harriet learned Bible verses. Her favorite was ³Lo¹, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.² She also liked the Bible verses about deliverance. If she heard of a fugitive slave on his way north, she thought of the verse ³Hide the outcast; betray him not that wandereth. (Bentley p.16) 3
So, even as a young girl, Harriet was already thinking about deliverance and fugitive slaves going north. She had heard of revolts and rebellions against slavery, and knowing how Harriet was, I¹m sure she cheered them on.
Harriet went to great lengths to protect her fellow slaves. Like every other slave, obviously, she too hated slavery. But I think there was more to slavery than just hate, for Harriet. In one case, she put her life on the line to protect a slave named Jim from getting beaten. She refused to move when a white supervisor asked her to help him tie up Jim for a whipping. When Jim made a run for it, Harriet blocked the...
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