Harriet Tubman was born Araminta Ross in Maryland. Born in about 1820 she was a slave. Ross saw many other slaves being mistreated constantly. Once, when trying to help another slave, she suffered a severe head injury. She was unconscious for several days and experienced blackouts for the rest of her life. in 1844 she married John Tubman, took his name, then took her mother’s first name. Araminta Ross was now Harriet Tubman. In 1849 she discovered she was going to be sold. She and two of her brothers decided to run away, but her husband didn’t want to. Tubman and her brothers left the plantation at night and followed the North Star. Her brothers turned back, but she kept going. Tubman knew the dangers, she knew dogs might be chasing her, she knew she would be beaten if she was caught, but she kept on going. Because she also knew that freedom was worth the risk. When she reached Philadelphia she worked as a housekeeper, but she wanted to do more. She went back and forth during the 1850s, freeing slaves. To make the trip easier Tubman created the Underground Railroad, a network of safe places where fugitives could stop and rest while travelling north. She went back eighteen times, helping three hundred slaves, and every time she risked her freedom to do it. Slaves started calling her Moses. Tubman was wanted by slave owners and they put up posters, offering lots of money for her, but she still went back. Harriet Tubman was careful. She carried a gun in order to shoot anyone who risked the groups safety by going back. During the war she used her prestige to convince former slaves to work as spies, watching confederate. Harriet Tubman in toady credited for saving and freeing hundreds of slaves.