Harriet Tubman - integratedlessons.com · Harriet Tubman . 1 Before the Civil War, slavery in the south was a major part of life. Large plantations, or large farms, bought and sold

Name:

Harriet Tubman

1 Before the Civil War, slavery in the south was a major part of life. Large plantations, or large farms, bought and sold slaves to work the fields. They had anywhere from just a few slaves to hundreds who managed all sorts of food and cash crops. Most picked cotton, a long and painful job. The South believed it greatly needed slave labor. Life for slaves was degrading, making them feel less than human. Labor was often brutal with long hours and no hope of freedom. Owners had total power over their slaves. Punishment for all sorts of infractions was most of the time violent.

2 In 1820, Harriet Tubman was born into this awful life. From Dorchester County, Maryland, her real name was Araminta Ross. As a young woman, she took the name of her mother, Harriet, and used it her whole life. At age six, she worked as a house slave but was sent out into the fields a few years later. She suffered backbreaking work and cruelties like other slaves. As a teenager, she tried to protect another slave from a beating. The owner threw a heavy weight, hitting Harriet’s head instead. This blow caused blackouts her whole life.

3 In 1844, Harriet married John Tubman, a free black man. Life went on as usual for the next five years until she learned that her owner planned to sell her off. Under the cloak of night, she fled her chains and made it to Philadelphia. In this antislavery city, she swore to help other slaves flee. The next year, the Fugitive Slave Law was passed which outlawed helping slaves escape. Also, any escaped slave found in the slave-free North had to be returned. Tubman knew that her capture while helping slaves would bring a fierce punishment or death. Yet, she was still faithful to the cause and trekked south on secret missions. Her marriage to John fell apart though.

4 For the next ten years, Tubman was a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad. This was a vast secret network of safe houses. This allowed her and others to smuggle slaves to the North. She led many slaves to Canada where slave hunters could not go. She lived there for a few years, then moved to Auburn, New York in 1857. She purchased a farm there to care for her parents and assist escaped slaves. During this time, she made nineteen trips into the South and freed 300 slaves. Her fame grew so much during these daring missions that she was called Moses. He was a man in ancient Egypt who led his people from bondage. The South place close to a $40,000 bounty on her head.

5 In 1861, the Civil War started. Tubman’s focus turned to the war. She knew if the North won, slavery would end. In 1863, she served as a Union scout, leading troops south. She helped lead an attack into South Carolina. This freed 750 slaves and destroyed bridges and railroad tracks. These actions cut Rebel supply lines. This marked the first time a woman had led a military attack. She also gathered information, or intelligence, from freed slaves. This was used by Union forces to plan attacks in the South. By war’s end, she worked as a nurse at an army hospital helping wounded black soldiers.

6 Tubman returned home to New York where she continued to help people. She met Nelson Davis not long after, became friends, and then married in 1869. She also gave help to the suffrage, or women’s rights, movement. All the while she pushed for equal rights for her people and the poor. After Nelson died in 1888, her work for women’s rights grew. Her drive to help the elderly did as well. In 1908, she helped found the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged, the place she spent the rest of her days. Harriet died on March 10, 1913.

7 Harriet Tubman was one of the most amazing leaders in U.S. history. She withstood life as a slave and led so many to freedom. She entered the fight for equal rights for women as well. Her courage and beliefs placed her in danger her entire life, far more than most people. Tubman is the perfect model for all people who stand for equal rights and freedom.

G5.3 ©2014 IntegratedLessons.com 1

Harriet Tubman


3. What act did Harriet do to help the elderly in her area?

A. she attended rallies for their cause

B. she started a home for the elderly

C. she took them into her house and nursed them

D. she donated money to their cause

4. What caused Harriet to suffer blackouts over her life?

A. she was struck in the head in the Civil War

B. she protected another slave and was hit in the head

C. she was exhausted from working in the fields

D. she was born with a medical condition

5. How many secret missions did Harriet make to rescue slaves?

A. 20 B. 300 C. 19 D. over 700

6. Why were escaped slaves not protected in the slave-free North?

A. slaves had to buy their freedom in the North

B. many in the North liked slavery

C. the Fugitive Slave Law forced escaped slaves to go back to the South

D. those in the North would make them slaves

Directions: Read each question and circle the best answer.

A. it made helping slaves escape illegal

B. slaves had to work on farms of the North

C. slaves had to escape to Canada

D. slaves were free when they reached the North

2. What finally caused Harriet to escape slavery?

A. the fact that she was to be sold

B. she was tired of the evil treatment

C. her parents were to be sold away

D. she was struck by a weight and was fed up

1. How did the Fugitive Slave Law change the act of freeing slaves?

Harriet Tubman


9. Which would be the best resource for more information about the article?

A. a book on the Underground Railroad

B. a novel C. a thesaurus D. an atlas

10. What would be a synonym for the word suffered in paragraph 2?

A. ignored B. refused C. resisted D. completed

11. This article would best be an example of—

A. an autobiography B. myth C. a biography D. realistic fiction

12. Which sentence from the article is an opinion?

A. Harriet Tubman was one of the most amazing leaders in U.S. history.

B. Tubman returned home to New York where she continued to help people.

C. The next year, the Fugitive Slave Law was passed which outlawed helping slaves escape.

D. From Dorchester County, Maryland, her real name was Araminta Ross.

7. What does the word degrading mean in paragraph 1?

A. in a pleasing manner B. a cruel act C. in an joyful way D. in a embarrassing way

8. Which would be the best title for paragraph 4?

A. Fighting the Civil War B. Moving to New York C. Working the Underground Railroad

D. Caring for her Parents

Name:

Harriet Tubman *

1 Before the Civil War, slavery in the south was a major part of life. Large plantations, or large farms, bought and sold slaves to work the fields. They had anywhere from just a few slaves to hundreds who managed all sorts of food and cash crops. Most picked cotton, a long and painful job. The South believed it greatly needed slave labor. Life for slaves was degrading, making them feel less than human. Labor was often brutal with long hours and no hope of freedom. Owners had total power over their slaves. Punishment for all sorts of infractions was most of the time violent.

2 In 1820, Harriet Tubman was born into this awful life. From Dorchester County, Maryland, her real name was Araminta Ross. As a young woman, she took the name of her mother, Harriet, and used it her whole life. At age six, she worked as a house slave but was sent out into the fields a few years later. She suffered backbreaking work and cruelties like other slaves. As a teenager, she tried to protect another slave from a beating. The owner threw a heavy weight, hitting Harriett’s head instead. This blow caused blackouts her whole life.

3 In 1844, Harriet married John Tubman, a free black man. Life went on as usual for the next five years until she learned that her owner planned to sell her off. Under the cloak of night, she fled her chains and made it to Philadelphia. In this antislavery city, she swore to help other slaves flee. The next year, the Fugitive Slave Law was passed which outlawed helping slaves escape. Also, any escaped slave found in the slave-free North had to be returned. Tubman knew that her capture while helping slaves would bring a fierce punishment or death. Yet, she was still faithful to the cause and trekked south on secret missions. Her marriage to John fell apart though.

4 For the next ten years, Tubman was a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad. This was a vast secret network of safe houses. This allowed her and others to smuggle slaves to the North. She led many slaves to Canada where slave hunters could not go. She lived there for a few years, then moved to Auburn, New York in 1857. She purchased a farm there to care for her parents and assist escaped slaves. During this time, she made nineteen trips into the South and freed 300 slaves. Her fame grew so much during these daring missions that she was called Moses. He was a man in ancient Egypt who led his people from bondage. The South place close to a $40,000 bounty on her head.

5 In 1861, the Civil War started. Tubman’s focus turned to the war. She knew if the North won, slavery would end. In 1863, she served as a Union scout, leading troops south. She helped lead an attack into South Carolina. This freed 750 slaves and destroyed bridges and railroad tracks. These actions cut Rebel supply lines. This marked the first time a woman had led a military attack. She also gathered information, or intelligence, from freed slaves. This was used by Union forces to plan attacks in the South. By war’s end, she worked as a nurse at an army hospital helping wounded black soldiers.

6 Tubman returned home to New York where she continued to help people. She met Nelson Davis not long after, became friends, and then married in 1869. She also gave help to the suffrage, or women’s rights, movement. All the while she pushed for equal rights for her people and the poor. After Nelson died in 1888, her work for women’s rights grew. Her drive to help the elderly did as well. In 1908, she helped found the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged, the place she spent the rest of her days. Harriet died on March 10, 1913.

7 Harriet Tubman was one of the most amazing leaders in U.S. history. She withstood life as a slave and led so many to freedom. She entered the fight for equal rights for women as well. Her courage and beliefs placed her in danger her entire life, far more than most people. Tubman is the perfect model for all people who stand for equal rights and freedom.

G5.3* ©2014 IntegratedLessons.com 1

Harriet Tubman

Directions: Read each question and circle the best answer.

A. it made helping slaves escape illegal *

B. slaves had to work on farms of the North

C. slaves had to escape to Canada

D. slaves were free when they reached the North

2. What finally caused Harriet to escape slavery?

A. the fact that she was to be sold *

B. she was tired of the evil treatment

C. her parents were to be sold away

D. she was struck by a weight and was fed up

3. What act did Harriet do to help the elderly in her area?

A. she attended rallies for their cause

B. she started a home for the elderly *

C. she took them into her house and nursed them

D. she donated money to their cause

4. What caused Harriet to suffer blackouts over her life?

A. she was struck in the head in the Civil War

B. she protected another slave and was hit in the head *

C. she was exhausted from working in the fields

D. she was born with a medical condition

5. How many secret missions did Harriet make to rescue slaves?

A. 20 B. 300 C. 19 * D. over 700

6. Why were escaped slaves not protected in the slave-free North?

A. slaves had to buy their freedom in the North

B. many in the North liked slavery

C. the Fugitive Slave Law forced escaped slaves to go back to the South *

D. those in the North would make them slaves


1. How did the Fugitive Slave Law change the act of freeing slaves?

Harriet Tubman

9. Which would be the best resource for more information about the article?

A. a book on the Underground Railroad *

B. a novel C. a thesaurus D. an atlas

10. What would be a synonym for the word suffered in paragraph 2?

A. ignored B. refused C. resisted D. completed *

11. This article would best be an example of—

A. an autobiography B. myth C. a biography * D. realistic fiction

12. Which sentence from the article is an opinion?

A. Harriet Tubman was one of the most amazing leaders in U.S. history.*

B. Tubman returned home to New York where she continued to help people.

C. The next year, the Fugitive Slave Law was passed which outlawed helping slaves escape.

D. From Dorchester County, Maryland, her real name was Araminta Ross.


7. What does the word degrading mean in paragraph 1?

A. in a pleasing manner B. a cruel act C. in an joyful way D. in a embarrassing way *

8. Which would be the best title for paragraph 4?

A. Fighting the Civil War B. Moving to New York C. Working the Underground Railroad *

D. Caring for her Parents

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Harriet Tubman - integratedlessons.com · Harriet Tubman . 1 Before the Civil War, slavery in the south was a major part of life. Large plantations, or large farms, bought and sold