
Harriet Tubman was a prolific conductor on the Underground Railroad, a network of safe houses that helped slaves escape to the free North. Born into slavery, Tubman escaped to freedom in the North in 1849, and then risked her life to lead other enslaved people to freedom. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 allowed fugitive and freed workers in the North to be captured and enslaved, forcing Tubman to lead enslaved people further north to Canada.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Harriet Tubman broke the law | To help smuggle slaves along the Underground Railroad |
| To help free at least dozens of slaves | |
| To help John Brown plan his 1859 raid of a Harpers Ferry arsenal | |
| To lead her niece and her niece's children to Philadelphia | |
| To lead her husband John north | |
| To lead the Combahee Ferry Raid that freed more than 700 from slavery |
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What You'll Learn
- Harriet Tubman broke the law by helping to smuggle slaves along the Underground Railroad
- The 1850 Fugitive Slave Act threatened imprisonment for anyone caught assisting a fugitive
- Tubman helped John Brown plan his 1859 raid of a Harpers Ferry arsenal
- Tubman applied her intelligence as an Underground Railroad conductor to lead the Combahee Ferry Raid
- Tubman helped free at least dozens of slaves

Harriet Tubman broke the law by helping to smuggle slaves along the Underground Railroad
The 1850 Fugitive Slave Act allowed fugitive and freed workers in the north to be captured and enslaved. This made Harriet's role as an Underground Railroad conductor much harder and forced her to lead enslaved people further north to Canada, travelling at night, usually in the spring or fall when the days were shorter. She first escaped to Philadelphia, then relocated to Ontario after the Fugitive Slave Act became U.S. law in 1850. The act threatened imprisonment for anyone caught assisting a fugitive and meant she was at greater risk of capture if she stayed in the U.S.
Tubman applied the intelligence she learned as an Underground Railroad conductor to lead the Combahee Ferry Raid that freed more than 700 people from slavery. She also helped John Brown plan his 1859 raid of a Harpers Ferry arsenal, one of the major events that led to the Civil War.
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The 1850 Fugitive Slave Act threatened imprisonment for anyone caught assisting a fugitive
Harriet Tubman broke the law by helping to smuggle slaves along the Underground Railroad. She was one of the most prolific 'conductors' on the Underground Railroad, a network of safe-houses placed to conceal slaves as they escaped to the free North. She helped free at least dozens of slaves.
Tubman was born into slavery and escaped to freedom in the North in 1849. She then risked her life to lead other enslaved people to freedom. She first escaped to Philadelphia, then relocated to Ontario after the Fugitive Slave Act became US law in 1850.
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Tubman helped John Brown plan his 1859 raid of a Harpers Ferry arsenal
Harriet Tubman broke the law by helping to smuggle slaves along the Underground Railroad. She was one of the most prolific 'conductors' on the Underground Railroad, a network of safe-houses placed to conceal slaves as they escaped to the free North. She helped free at least dozens of slaves.
The 1850 Fugitive Slave Act allowed fugitive and freed workers in the north to be captured and enslaved. This made Tubman's role as an Underground Railroad conductor much harder and forced her to lead enslaved people further north to Canada, travelling at night, usually in the spring or fall when the days were shorter.
Tubman's work as a conductor on the Underground Railroad was incredibly dangerous and required a great deal of courage and resourcefulness. She used elaborate disguises, communicated in code, and fought back when necessary to help enslaved people find freedom.
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Tubman applied her intelligence as an Underground Railroad conductor to lead the Combahee Ferry Raid
Harriet Tubman broke the law by helping to smuggle slaves along the Underground Railroad. She was one of the most prolific 'conductors' on the Underground Railroad, a network of safe-houses that were meticulously placed to conceal slaves as they escaped to the free North. Tubman helped to free at least dozens of slaves.
The 1850 Fugitive Slave Act allowed fugitive and freed workers in the north to be captured and enslaved. This made Tubman's role as an Underground Railroad conductor much harder and forced her to lead enslaved people further north to Canada, travelling at night, usually in the spring or fall when the days were shorter.
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Tubman helped free at least dozens of slaves
Harriet Tubman broke the law by helping to free at least dozens of slaves. She was one of the most prolific 'conductors' on the Underground Railroad, a network of safe-houses placed to conceal slaves as they escaped to the free North. Tubman herself escaped to Philadelphia in 1849 and then risked her life to lead other enslaved people to freedom. She also helped her niece and her niece's children escape to Philadelphia via the Underground Railroad.
The 1850 Fugitive Slave Act allowed fugitive and freed workers in the north to be captured and enslaved, making Tubman's role as a conductor much harder. She was forced to lead enslaved people further north to Canada, travelling at night, usually in the spring or fall when the days were shorter.
Tubman also helped John Brown plan his 1859 raid of a Harpers Ferry arsenal, one of the major events that led to the Civil War. She first escaped to Philadelphia and then relocated to Ontario after the Fugitive Slave Act became law in 1850.
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Frequently asked questions
Harriet Tubman broke the law by helping to smuggle slaves along the Underground Railroad.
The Underground Railroad was a network of safe-houses that concealed slaves as they escaped to the free North.
Harriet Tubman helped to free at least dozens of slaves, and led the Combahee Ferry Raid that freed more than 700 people from slavery.
Harriet Tubman left the US for Canada after the Fugitive Slave Act became law in 1850. This law threatened imprisonment for anyone caught assisting a fugitive, putting Tubman at greater risk of capture if she stayed in the US.














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