Harriet Tubman In the 1840s and 1850s, American abolitionists were a small minority in every part of the country. Harriet Tubman was one of the women who joined the attack on slavery. He stood out from most other abolitionists. The evidence I will present shows that she was not content simply to be free or even to give anti-slavery speeches. Harriet Tubman was important to the abolitionist movement because she put her ideas into practice. Harriet was born into slavery in Bucktown, Maryland 1. From birth she was taught to distrust white men. Two of her sisters had been sold to a slave trader, and she swore she would never let that happen to her.2 From my reading, Harriet Tubman seemed different from most of the other slaves around her. He had a rebellious nature, always getting into trouble. Her parents introduced her to religion, thinking that perhaps it would crush her rebellious nature. One way to deal with a difficult child was religion. Ben and Rit [Harriet's parents] attended church regularly, and Harriet learned Bible verses. His favorite was ³Lo¹, I am with you always, until the end of the world². She also liked the Bible verses about deliverance. If he heard of a runaway slave traveling north, he thought of the verse “Hide the outcast; do not betray the one who wanders. (Bentley p.16) 3So, even as a young woman, Harriet was already thinking about liberation and fugitive slaves heading north. He had heard of riots and rebellions against slavery, and knowing how Harriet was doing, I am sure he encouraged them. Harriet went to great lengths to protect her fellow slaves. Like every other slave, of course, she also hated slavery. But I think that for Harriet, slavery was more than just hatred. In one case, he put his life on the line to protect a slave named Jim from being beaten. She refused to budge when a white supervisor asked her to help him tie Jim up for a whipping. When Jim ran away, Harriet stopped the supervisor from pursuing him. Then, he caught a 2-lb. weight and threw it towards Jim. The weight hit Harriet on the forehead instead, and Jim was able to escape.4 Fortunately, Harriet survived her near-death experience. “The mark on Harriet's forehead remained a visible scar of the brutality of slavery. The wound went deep into her heart.² (Bentley p.24) In 1849, Harriet's teacher, Edward Brode... at the center of the paper... of the inspiration and hope he gave to his people. Harriet was even nicknamed “Moses” by the people she saved. He did what others were too scared to do. There was no guarantee that Harriet would succeed in every single mission. In my eyes she had a lot to lose if she was captured, but I think for her it felt like she at least saved some slaves. What a sacrifice! Harriet Tubman was more than a former slave turned abolitionist. She was also a nurse and spy for the Union Army. Always ready to turn dreams into action, she joined the war effort in 1861. Harriet was probably the first woman, black or white, to go to the battle front. 9 The army used her as a spy, liaison and nurse. So even when he wasn't taking groups of slaves north, he was still helping others. What an incredible woman! Harriet's diligence in doing good and her determination to persevere until she achieved her goal inspires me to this day. I admire Martin Luther King Jr. and many other abolitionists, but not as much as Harriet Tubman. I know of no other woman who has accomplished as much as she has, in a single lifetime. Harriet Tubman is truly the supreme hero of the.