Phoebe Judge

But a few days later, Harriet Tubman tried again, alone. She couldn't tell any of her family members, or even her husband, what she was planning to do. It was too risky. She walked off the plantation singing to herself and kept walking for about a mile until she reached the home of a Quaker woman. She hid in the backyard, waiting for the woman's husband to come home.

But a few days later, Harriet Tubman tried again, alone. She couldn't tell any of her family members, or even her husband, what she was planning to do. It was too risky. She walked off the plantation singing to herself and kept walking for about a mile until she reached the home of a Quaker woman. She hid in the backyard, waiting for the woman's husband to come home.

She made two stops on the Underground Railroad, which was well established by the 1840s

She made two stops on the Underground Railroad, which was well established by the 1840s

And then Harriet Tubman kept walking. She knew she needed to get to Pennsylvania, the nearest free state. She was the North Star as a guide, as her father had taught her. And she followed the rivers, what she knew ran north. Eventually, she made it to Philadelphia. But in Philadelphia, Harriet Tubman received a message that her niece was going to be sold.

And then Harriet Tubman kept walking. She knew she needed to get to Pennsylvania, the nearest free state. She was the North Star as a guide, as her father had taught her. And she followed the rivers, what she knew ran north. Eventually, she made it to Philadelphia. But in Philadelphia, Harriet Tubman received a message that her niece was going to be sold.

And Harriet decided to turn around to get her out. It worked. The next year, she did the same thing for her youngest brother... The family decided to move to Canada together. Philadelphia had become too dangerous after the passing of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, also called the Bloodhound Act.

And Harriet decided to turn around to get her out. It worked. The next year, she did the same thing for her youngest brother... The family decided to move to Canada together. Philadelphia had become too dangerous after the passing of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, also called the Bloodhound Act.

This basically meant that any Black person could be kidnapped, accused of being a runaway slave, and sold into slavery in the South. So Harriet Tubman left the country.

This basically meant that any Black person could be kidnapped, accused of being a runaway slave, and sold into slavery in the South. So Harriet Tubman left the country.

She developed her own roots and strategies that she would share with people. She learned that Saturdays in winter were the best days for an escape. Enslaved people often had Sunday off, so slaveholders wouldn't know they were gone until Monday. And the long winter nights gave them more time to walk in the dark. She tried to get people out before the holidays.

She developed her own roots and strategies that she would share with people. She learned that Saturdays in winter were the best days for an escape. Enslaved people often had Sunday off, so slaveholders wouldn't know they were gone until Monday. And the long winter nights gave them more time to walk in the dark. She tried to get people out before the holidays.

Slaveholders often sold enslaved people at the end of the year to pay off debt. Etta Fields Black writes that the Christmas holidays were known as the weeping time. When she walked, Harriet Tubman would rub red onions on her feet so bloodhounds couldn't pick up her scent. And she carried a loaded gun.

Slaveholders often sold enslaved people at the end of the year to pay off debt. Etta Fields Black writes that the Christmas holidays were known as the weeping time. When she walked, Harriet Tubman would rub red onions on her feet so bloodhounds couldn't pick up her scent. And she carried a loaded gun.

One journalist later wrote that she, quote, possessed a miraculous geographical instinct, never forgetting any detail of a route. She got her parents out of Maryland. They were in their 70s and unable to walk the long distance. So Harriet built a type of horse-drawn carriage for them. She tried four times to get her sister Rachel and Rachel's children out, but never succeeded.

One journalist later wrote that she, quote, possessed a miraculous geographical instinct, never forgetting any detail of a route. She got her parents out of Maryland. They were in their 70s and unable to walk the long distance. So Harriet built a type of horse-drawn carriage for them. She tried four times to get her sister Rachel and Rachel's children out, but never succeeded.

She became known as Moses. People didn't know her real identity. Many slaveholders assumed Moses was a white man. And then the Civil War broke out. In South Carolina, the Union, or the U.S. Army, occupied Beaufort and surrounding areas. Etta Fields Black writes that Harriet Tubman would almost certainly have been following the news about what was happening.

She became known as Moses. People didn't know her real identity. Many slaveholders assumed Moses was a white man. And then the Civil War broke out. In South Carolina, the Union, or the U.S. Army, occupied Beaufort and surrounding areas. Etta Fields Black writes that Harriet Tubman would almost certainly have been following the news about what was happening.

She was going to be spying on the Confederacy. Why do you think that she was recruited as a spy? I mean, what were they looking for?

She was going to be spying on the Confederacy. Why do you think that she was recruited as a spy? I mean, what were they looking for?