Harriet Tubman was born into slavery like her mother and father in the 1820s. Her real name was Araminta Ross. Her mother was given a nickname of
Old Rit and her father was nick named Old Ben. Harriet had ten brothers and sisters, all born into slavery. When Harriet was very little, she knew what was going on. She also knew that whoever ate the fastest ate the most. Her and her family lived in a quarter on the Brodas Plantation. Her father and her mother were very old, so they couldn't work in the fields. When Harriet was only six years old she was sold to her first temporary owner. Harriet had to help her owner with her weaving. When Harriet lacked off, her owner sent her to check her husband's muskrat traps. During that work, she got the measles and was sent back to the Brodas Plantation until she healed. After she got well, she was sold to a couple. There she was a baby-sitter and a house slave. She had to take care of the women's baby. During the night Harriet had to watch the little baby. If the baby started to cry, Harriet had to hush the baby so that her owner won't get mad at her. Sometimes when her owner got really mad at Harriet, she would whip her on the back of her neck. That scarred her for life. If anyone ever saw her neck, there was an "X" on the back. She was treated like a dog. But after a while, Harriet learned to sleep deeply and still be able to care for the baby. Whenever she heard the slightest little noise, she would wake up. One day Harriet ran away and lived with pigs. She had to fight for her food for a week. Finally, she returned to her owner dirty, sweaty, and hungry. Another time Harriet ate one of the woman's sugar cubes so she got whipped. Then, she finally got sent back to the Brodas plantation with scars.
Old Rit and her father was nick named Old Ben. Harriet had ten brothers and sisters, all born into slavery. When Harriet was very little, she knew what was going on. She also knew that whoever ate the fastest ate the most. Her and her family lived in a quarter on the Brodas Plantation. Her father and her mother were very old, so they couldn't work in the fields. When Harriet was only six years old she was sold to her first temporary owner. Harriet had to help her owner with her weaving. When Harriet lacked off, her owner sent her to check her husband's muskrat traps. During that work, she got the measles and was sent back to the Brodas Plantation until she healed. After she got well, she was sold to a couple. There she was a baby-sitter and a house slave. She had to take care of the women's baby. During the night Harriet had to watch the little baby. If the baby started to cry, Harriet had to hush the baby so that her owner won't get mad at her. Sometimes when her owner got really mad at Harriet, she would whip her on the back of her neck. That scarred her for life. If anyone ever saw her neck, there was an "X" on the back. She was treated like a dog. But after a while, Harriet learned to sleep deeply and still be able to care for the baby. Whenever she heard the slightest little noise, she would wake up. One day Harriet ran away and lived with pigs. She had to fight for her food for a week. Finally, she returned to her owner dirty, sweaty, and hungry. Another time Harriet ate one of the woman's sugar cubes so she got whipped. Then, she finally got sent back to the Brodas plantation with scars.