Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad Study Questions & Topics for Discussion

Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad Topics for Discussion

1. Discuss features of Tubman's character that enable her to carry out her mission so effectively.

2. Tubman never learns to read and write. What special abilities does she use to compensate for this handicap?

3. What character traits exhibited by Tubman show the influence of her father? Her mother? Which parent seems to contribute more to Tubman's value system?

4. The Underground Railroad is naturally filled with risks and uncertainties. Which incident, in your opinion, is the most dangerous? The most suspenseful?

5. Why does John Tubman threaten to inform the master if Tubman attempts to escape? Explain the difference between John's status and Tubman's on the plantation.

6. Although Tubman continues her work after the disappointment she suffers when her husband marries another woman during her absence, what evidence in the book suggests the permanent hurt she feels...
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