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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How much money did Harriet pay to a lawyer to look up all of Old Rit’s masters, according to the author in Chapter 9: “The Patchwork Quilt”?

2. What was the Canadian government’s reply when Henry Clay made his second plea to make an agreement to return American slaves, according to the author in Chapter 5: “Flight”?

3. When did the American Revolutionary War take place?

4. In what year was Harriet Ross married to John Tubman?

5. What was the name of the builder that Harriet and her father were hired out to in Chapter 8: “Minta Becomes Harriet”?

Short Essay Questions

1. What were the lasting effects of Harriet’s injury in Chapter 7: “Shuck this Corn”?

2. What does the author describe in her historical note at the end of Chapter 6: “The Underground Road”?

3. What is related in the author’s historical note at the end of Chapter 5: “Flight”? Who was James Clay?

4. How did the Fugitive Slave Law affect Harriet in her plight to rescue slaves, according to the author in Chapter 11: “Stranger in a Strange Land”?

5. What did Harriet discover when she paid a lawyer to look into the details of Old Rit’s former masters in Chapter 9: “The Patchwork Quilt”?

6. Where did Harriet go when she ran away in Chapter 5: “Flight”? How long was she gone and why did she return?

7. What does the author’s historical note at the end of Chapter 9: “The Patchwork Quilt” describe?

8. What important skills did Old Ben teach Harriet in Chapter 8: “Minta Becomes Harriet”?

9. What stories of runaway slaves did Harriet hear while working at the plantation in Chapter 6: “The Underground Road”?

10. Who was Denmark Vesey? What event related to Denmark Vesey occurred when Harriet Tubman was two years old?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the culture, society, and folklore of slaves on the plantations in the 1820s. How were the slaves’ religious beliefs influenced by their European and American owners? What were the societal rules within slave communities? How were weddings conducted and what owner approval was needed for slaves to marry?

Essay Topic 2

Narrative Structure

a. Discuss the narrative structure of Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad. Is the narrative told in first, second, or third person? In present or past tense? Why do you think the author chose this narrative style?

b. How authentic do you think Petry’s biography is to the truth of Harriet Tubman’s actions, objectives, and character? Upon what information and facts did Ann Petry base her story? How much conjecture do you think is included in the book?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Benjamin Ross’s position within the slave community at Brodas plantation. Why was Ben respected by the other slaves? How was he regarded by the master? How did Ben’s position change as he grew older?

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