Question 1

True or false: Tubman never learned to read or write throughout her entire life.

Accepted Answer

True. Despite her extraordinary achievements, she remained illiterate, relying on memory and oral communication.

Question 2

True or false: Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland.

Accepted Answer

True. She was born Araminta Ross on a plantation in Dorchester County, Maryland, into slavery. The exact year is uncertain, but it was around 1822.

Question 3

True or false: Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland.

Accepted Answer

True. Harriet Tubman was born Araminta Ross on a plantation in Dorchester County, Maryland, around 1822, and was enslaved from birth.

Question 4

True or false: Tubman helped over 300 slaves escape on the Underground Railroad.

Accepted Answer

False. The common myth is 300, but she actually made about 13 trips and rescued around 70 people, not 300.

Question 5

True or false: Harriet Tubman had a $40,000 bounty placed on her head by slave owners.

Accepted Answer

False. While a reward was offered, no credible evidence supports a $40,000 bounty; the often-cited figure is a later exaggeration. Actual bounties were far lower.

Question 6

True or false: Harriet Tubman personally participated in John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry.

Accepted Answer

False. Harriet Tubman supported John Brown's plans but was ill and not present at the Harpers Ferry raid; she did not take part in the attack.

Question 7

True or false: Harriet Tubman was the first woman to run for President of the United States.

Accepted Answer

False. That distinction belongs to Victoria Woodhull, who ran in 1872. Harriet Tubman was a women's suffrage activist but never ran for president.

Question 8

True or false: Harriet Tubman was the first woman to lead an armed expedition in U.S. military history.

Accepted Answer

True. The Combahee Ferry Raid in 1863 made Harriet Tubman the first woman to command an armed military operation in the U.S.

Question 9

True or false: Tubman led a raid that freed over 700 enslaved people during the Civil War.

Accepted Answer

True. In 1863, she guided the Combahee Ferry Raid, freeing 756 enslaved people—her largest single rescue operation.

Question 10

True or false: Harriet Tubman suffered from seizures and sudden sleep episodes due to a childhood head injury.

Accepted Answer

True. As a child, Harriet Tubman was hit in the head with a heavy weight, causing a lifelong condition with seizures and sudden sleep attacks, often described as narcolepsy.

Question 11

True or false: Harriet Tubman served as a spy and nurse for the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Accepted Answer

True. Harriet Tubman worked for the Union as a nurse, cook, and spy, and also led the Combahee River Raid, freeing over 700 enslaved people.

Question 12

True or false: Harriet Tubman never lost a single passenger on her Underground Railroad rescue missions.

Accepted Answer

True. Over approximately 13 missions, Harriet Tubman helped rescue about 70 enslaved people and proudly stated that she never lost a passenger.

Question 13

True or false: Harriet Tubman was born in the year 1815.

Accepted Answer

False. Harriet Tubman's exact birth year is unknown but is generally accepted as 1822; the 1815 date is not supported by historical records.

Question 14

True or false: Tubman received a full military pension for her Civil War service.

Accepted Answer

False. She only got a widow’s pension of $8 per month, later raised to $20 for her service—not a full military pension.

Question 15

True or false: Harriet Tubman experienced sudden sleep-like spells throughout her life due to a childhood head injury.

Accepted Answer

True. A heavy weight struck her head as a child, causing lifelong episodes of sudden unconsciousness that could occur at any time.

Question 16

True or false: Harriet Tubman was a close friend and advisor of President Abraham Lincoln.

Accepted Answer

False. Tubman criticized Lincoln's cautious emancipation policy and there is no record of a close friendship or advisory role.

Harriet Tubman Trivia Questions