Tubman was born into slavery in , and later escaped from Dorchester County, Maryland to Philadelphia where she lived as a freewoman. Once free, Tubman dedicated her life to the abolition of slavery as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. She brought approximately 70 enslaved African Americans to freedom in the north.
The Ross family were enslaved in Dorchester County, Maryland. Chattel slavery determined that Black people were property that were bought and sold. The children of enslaved women were also considered enslaved, regardless of whether their fathers were enslaved or not.
Such was the case for Tubman and her siblings as Benjamin was free, but Rit was not University at Buffalo. In at the age of six, Brodess rented out Tubman at his whim to provide childcare for nearby overseers. Compensation for her work would go to Brodess and time periods for how long she would be rented out would vary. This work separated her from her mother and siblings for extended periods of time. Tubman's life would change forever at the age of She refused to assist the freedom seeker's enslaver in capturing the fugitive.
As the enslaver became desperate in their attempt to recapture the freedom seeker, he threw a two pound weight. Rather than hitting the intended target, he struck Tubman in the back of the head and fractured her skull. She teetered between life and death. Her mother Rit nursed Tubman back to health as much as she could given their limited resources NPS n. It is important to note that narcolepsy was a prominent part of both her identity and story. Vivid visions of freedom came to her while experiencing these seizures PBS As a result of her visions, her disability is often associated with her religiosity.
Both elements were key in her determination to seek liberation for the enslaved. The pain of separation from her family and the cruelty of slavery never left Tubman.
