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Jan 1, 1000
Moses
There are many records and different dates (all in B.C.) in which Moses led Hebrews out of Egypt, so the exact date and time and year is now known. However, Harriet Tubman was later given the name Moses of the South, because she led slaves into freedom, just as Moses led the Hebrews. -
First Slaves
The first slaves were brought to Virginia in 1619. It is unknown when Harriet's ancestors came to America, but she claimed that she was of the Ashanti lineage, which was from modern day Ghana. -
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad is a loose network of anti-slavery abolitionists that helped slaves reach safety in the Northern states or Canada before the Civil War. It is also called Liberty Line and began somewhere in the 1780s under Quaker auspices. The Railroad didn't become famous till the 1830s, where it angered many Southerners. http://www.strawberrylady.com/blackhistory/tubman/Tubman.htm -
Birth
Harriet Tubman was born around 1819 to 1820 under the name Araminta Ross in Dorchester County, Maryland. She was one out of 11 children born to slaves Harriet Greene and Benjamin Ross. No one knew exactly what date she was born on, since slaves don't celebrate their birthdays. -
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Harriet Tubamn's Lifespan
Harriet was born some time between 1819-1820 and died on March 10, 1913. Picture -
Work
Harriet was put to work at age 5 as a maid and a children's nurse. The exact date and time wasn't known. -
Injury
At age 12, Harriet became a field hand. She was struck on her head by a heavy metal weight while trying to help a slave escape. The white man who struck her was either her master or overseer. The exact time and date is not known. The blow left her with experiencing sudden blackouts throughout the rest of her life. -
Marriage
When Harriet was 25 years old, she married John Tubman, a free African American. -
Escape
In 1949, Harriet Tubman ran away to Philadelphia. John Tubman, her husband, did not share her dream of achieving freedom so he immediantly notified her master after he discovered that Harriet had left. The exact date of her escape is unknown. -
Becoming a Conductor
After escaping to Philadelphia, she met William Still and learned about The Underground Railroad. She then helped some slaves escape to the north, including her sister and her family. That September, Harriet became an official conductor of the UGRR. She made a 2nd trip to the South to rescue her brother James and other friends. -
Fugitive Slave Law
The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 (aka Fugitive Slave Act) made escaping slavery even harder. The Underground Railroad tightend their security and made codes even more secret. Escaped slaves were sent to Canada. -
3rd Trip
Harriet went on her third trip to the South to get her husband. However, John had already remarried and didn't want to leave. She left him to lead other slaves to freedom in Canada by crossing a handmade bridge over the Niagara Falls. -
Moses
During the winter, Harriet returned from Canada to the U.S. to help free more slaves. In spring, she worked in Cape May to save money for runaways to go to Maryland. Harriet became known as "Moses" since she had led many people to freedom. She was so well known that plantation owners have posted up to $40,000 for her capture. -
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More Trips
Harriet Tubman made 11 more trips from Maryland to Canada, helping runaway slaves. If a passanger panicked and wanted to turn back, Harriet will take out a gun and threaten the passanger because she was afraid that he would be torture into revealing the Undergroud Railroad. Picture -
Rescuing Her Family
During the spring of 1857, Harriet rescued her father, Ben Ross, and her mother, Harriet Ross. This was considered one of her most daring rescues because she traveled in broad daylight to rescue her elderly parents. The exact dates are not known. -
Charles Nalle
Harriet set out to free a slave named Charles Nalle who had been captured. He was being held at the United States Commisioner office in Troy, New York. Thanks to Harriet, he escaped, but later bought his freedom from his master. The exact date of this event is not known. -
End of Railroad
Harriet's career ended as a conductor in December of 1860. Her last rescue trip was to Maryland and leading seven slaves to Canada. Harriet had worked as a conductor for ten years and have rescued more than 300 people. She made 19 trips and had never lost a passanger. In the end, her friends took her to Canada for Harriet's safety. -
Civil War Starts
When the Civil war started, Harriet Tubman enlisted into the Union army as a nurse. She worked at Hilton Head, South Carolina and Fortress Monroe for some time before being sent to another hospital in Florida. Not only did she nursed the wounded soldiers, she also found them work. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1st, 1836. It freed all slaves in the states that seceded from the Union, but not in the slave states that are still loyal to the Union. -
Combahee River Raid
In the summer, Harriet joined Colonel James Montgomery as a scout and put together a group of spies who kept them informed about the slaves that might join the Union army. Then, they organized the Combahee River Raid to rescue slaves in rebel outposts. The result was a success. Most of the 500 slaves joined the Union army. -
Civil War Ends
The Civil War ends. The 13th amendment is passed and adopted on December 6, 1865. It outlaws slavery, freeing every slave. However, after Black Codes still limited an African American's rights. On March 4, 1849, president Abraham Lincoln was assasinated by John Wilkes Booth. -
Second Marriage
Harriet Tubman married Nelson Davis, and had a peaceful marriage that lasted 19 years before Nelson died. -
Death
Before she died, Harriet gave her home to the Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Her cause of death was pneumonia. She was buried with military rites in Fort Hill Cemetery.
