Living Conditions
Harriet Ross was born into slavery in 1819, in Dorchester County, Maryland. Given the names of her two parents, both held in slavery, she was of purely African ancestry. She was raised under harsh conditions, and received whippings even as a small child. At the age of 12 she was seriously injured by a blow to the head, inflicted by a white overseer for refusing to assist in tying up a man who had attempted escape. She constantly got ill which diminished her value as a slave.
Conductor of the Underground Railroad
As one of the leaders in the underground railroad, she had many roles and duties that she had to fulfill. One of her duties was making sure that the slaves kept on moving through the routes. She sometimes threatened them with her pistol saying “youʻll be free or die like a slave”. One of her other duties as an underground railroad leader was to make sure that the slaves follow directions. She told them things about the people that are safe to talk to, houses that would provide them with food and water, and the ways to pass around the treacherous obstacles of the environment.
Plantation Life
House slaves cleaned, cooked, served meals, and took care of the children. Some of the children that Harriet took care of was her younger brother and a baby. She was ordered to keep watch on the baby as it slept; when it woke and cried, Harriet was whipped. Harriet Tubman would also get whipped about five times every morning before breakfast. She also got sick from working with the muskrat traps but as time went on she became stronger.