Harriet Tubman was one of the most courageous women in the history of any country.
Harriet was born a slave on a Maryland plantation. When she was only five years old, she began serving in the slaveowner's house. At twelve, she was put to work in the fields, planting and harvesting crops no matter what the weather and no matter how she felt.
Harriet had many friends among other slaves. She even stuck up for them. Once, when another worker was about to be punished for something she didn't do, Harriet threw herself in front of the woman to protect her from being hit. Harriet's own skull was cracked—it took almost a year before she could get back to work.
In 1849, Harriet ran away to the North—to Pennsylvania, where slavery was illegal. Now that she was free, she promised to return south to free other slaves. She joined a secret society called the Underground Railroad. The group helped bring the slaves from the South to the North. The Underground Railroad wasn't a real railroad. And it wasn't underground. But it moved people quickly, efficiently, and quietly—just like a secret subway train would!
Of course, it was illegal to free slaves. Soon, there was a $40,000 reward offered for Harriet's capture. But she wasn't afraid. For the next ten years, she continued to return to the South to free more people. Not one mission failed—she never lost a single person. By the end of her career, Harriet had freed more than 3,000 slaves.
