Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad

Transcription

1 PREVIEW WORDS escape cruel runaway refuse Underground adviser To some, Harriet Tubman was a person to love. For others, she was to be feared and hated. The reason was she spent much of her life helping other slaves escape from the South. Harriet lived at a time in America's history when slaves were owned by most Southern families. The life of a slave was sad and cruel. Once Harriet was struck in the head when she refused to chase a runaway slave. She almost died and carried the scars all her life. Finally, around 1849, Harriet could take no more and ran away to the North. Her main guide was the North Star. She also knew that moss grew on the north side of trees. Even when she found her freedom, she could not rest. She returned to the South to help others escape through. This "railroad" was a path to freedom. The slaves would run in secret from one safe house to the next, until they reached the North or Canada. Harriet helped 300 slaves find freedom. Among them were her parents, sister, and her two children. When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Harriet became an adviser and cook for the Northern Army. Later, she started many schools in the South. She is most famous, however, for her nineteen daring trips through the Underground Railroad. Fill in the circle next to the best answer. 1. What was? a route that slave owners took to look for runaway slaves a subway system a system of safe houses where slaves hid on their way to freedom Remedia Publications 145 High-Interest / Nonfiction

2 2. Write a question about the story for another student to answer. Finding Facts/Reading for Details 3. How many times did Harriet return to the South to help slaves escape? 4. How many slaves did Harriet take to freedom? 5. When the Civil War broke out, what did Harriet do? Summarizing Information 6. Summarize Harriet Tubman s life in two or three sentences. Making Inferences 7. From the story, what can we tell about Harriet Tubman s character? Drawing Conclusions 8. Who would hate Harriet Tubman, and who would love her? High-Interest / Nonfiction 146 Remedia Publications

3 9. Write a sentence using one of the Preview Words. Research Activity: Sojourner Truth was a former slave who had been freed. She was a well-known abolitionist (someone who wanted to do away with slavery). Look up Sojourner Truth in an encyclopedia. Write several sentences about what you find. Remedia Publications 147 High Interest / Non-Fiction

4 WORDS children North safe Star freedom owned schools trips life runaway South Underground Use words in the box to complete each sentence. 1. Before the Civil War, slaves were by most Southern families. 2. The of a slave was sad and cruel. 3. Once Harriet Tubman refused to chase a slave. 4. Harriet could take no more abuse and ran away to the. 5. Harriet s main guide while escaping from slavery was the North. 6. Even when Harriet found her, she could not rest. 7. She returned to the to help others escape. 8. She helped slaves escape through the Railroad. 9. The slaves would run in secret from one house to the next. 10. Among the 300 people Harriet saved were her own two. 11. After the war, Harriet started many in the South. 12. Harriet is most famous for her 19 daring through. High Interest / Non-Fiction 148 Remedia Publications

5 Answer Key PGS PG 148 1) C 2) Sentences will vary. 3) 19 times 4) about 300 slaves 5) She worked for the Northern Army as an advisor and a cook. 6) Summaries will vary. 7) She was caring, compassionate, courageous, and a strong leader. 8) Slave owners would hate her. Slaves and abolitionists would love her. 9) Sentences will vary. 1) owned 2) life ) runaway 4) North 5) Star 6) freedom 7) South 8) Underground 9) safe 10) children 11) schools 12) trips Performance Objective Correlations: Choose the correct word Draw conclusions Expand vocabulary Find relevant facts Locate the answer Make inferences Read for details Summarize information Use reference sources Write an original paragraph Write an original sentence