Harriet Tubman

Harriet going to the North. (http://www.harriettubmanbiography.com/db2/00122/harriettubmanbiography.com/_uimages/Tubmanwoodcut3.jpg)

Harriet Tubman, A Civil War Hero (1820-1913)

I believe a hero is someone who has many qualities like helping others, being courageous and being clever. A hero to me is someone who doesn’t do something for his or her own benefit, but for someone else’s benefit. A hero like this is Harriet Tubman. She had all those traits during her life. Harriet used all those qualities well to help free slaves in the South from the 1840’s to the 1860’s.

Harriet was always with others. (http://images.google.com/images?q=Harriet+Tubman&hl=en&lr=&start=20&sa=N)

One of the ways Harriet Tubman was a hero was that she helped other slaves. Harriet showed compassion when slaves were about to be whipped and she would get whipped for them. The slave owners didn’t care because they just wanted to whip someone. Another time Harriet helped others was when she was helping a slave run away. The slave had gotten to a store at night. When Harriet tried to run away with the slave, his master saw them. His master tried to throw a two-pound block at the slave; it hit Harriet instead. From that point on, Harriet had sleeping disorders. My last example of Harriet Tubman helping others is when slavery was over and the Civil War was going on. Harriet set up a house for the poor and elderly. She also told people to get a job with the Union Forces. Even though Harriet had a lot going on in her life, she showed she could still help others.

Harriet in the woods at night going to the North. (http://www.sigidiart.com/WebBleach/images/Tubman.jpg)

Harriet Tubman not only helped others, but she was also courageous. Harriet once said, “When I was scared my courage would make me brave. That bravery would help others be courageous.” Your courage has to be really strong to make others courageous. One example of Harriet being courageous is when she returned to the dangerous South each time after she arrived in the North with escaping slaves. She could have remained in the North and have been safe herself. Harriet did that nineteen times! Harriet said, “Every time I got up to go back down to the South, I was determined." Usually, Harriet brought the slaves up to Canada. Harriet would have to cross the Canadian border. This was courageous because right as she went into Vermont she could get caught and be taken back to her plantation. She helped over three hundred slaves escape, including her family. My last example of Harriet being courageous is when she led slaves to the North even though she had a sleeping disorder. This could have been dangerous because Harriet could have fallen asleep and the slaves could have gotten caught. You have to be really courageous to lead slaves when you know any minute you could fall asleep and get all the slaves and yourself in trouble.

In addition to her courage in helping others, Harriet Tubman was clever. Harriet needed cleverness to escape from the slave owners. Here are two examples of Harriet heading north and being clever. First, Harriet had a big group of slaves and there were slave catchers behind them. Harriet knew they would get caught, if they didn't go back. So, that’s just what they did. She headed southbound on the train with all the slaves. My final example happened when Harriet was waiting for a train that was about to head to Canada. Harriet was sitting on a bench and two men walked up. There were “Wanted Dead or Alive” signs all over for Harriet Tubman, and everyone was looking for her. The two men suspected she was Harriet Tubman, but then they noticed that she was reading a book, so they believed it couldn’t be her. Harriet was very clever because she was wearing a big floppy bonnet and was pretending to read a book. Harriet hoped she was holding the book right side up because she didn’t know how to read. Harriet showed us that it doesn’t take that much to be clever.

Harriet in her middle age. (http://www.iun.edu/~wostnw/history/images/Harriet_Tubman.jpg)

Harriet Tubman was a true hero during the time of slavery in the United States. She had a lot of determination. That’s what kept her going through the tough times when she was trying to help all of the slaves. Almost everything she did was for the benefit of others to get them free. To me, that really indicates a hero. So, whenever you are in an unfair situation, remember Harriet Tubman.