A famous historical person

Hi everyone!
I feel so sad while I’m writing this blog post. I can’t believe that I will be travelling home to Norway tomorrow! Don’t misunderstand me, I love my home country, but there is something special about the United States. Maybe I will settle down here when I grow up? Since it was my last night in the US, I decided to do something fun so I could laugh a lot. Therefore, I went to the cinema to watch a comedian movie. It was many different comedian movies to choose between, and I ended up watching an old classic movie from 1915; The Tramp. The main role in the film, who’s acting the Tramp, is Charlie Chaplin.

 

Personally, I thought the movie was hilarious, and I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much. Charlie Chaplin clearly had a special sense of humor, but he had the same humor as I have. When I arrived my hotel room later that night, I wanted to find out more about him. After some research on the internet, I thought it seemed like he had a pretty interesting life as well. Now I want to share parts of his life with you:

Charles Spence Chaplin was born in London 16^th of April 1889, and died in Switzerland 25^th of December 1977. He was an English comedian, actor, and film director who rose to fame in the silent era. Chaplin became a worldwide icon through his film role as "the Tramp". He was one of the most famous movie stars by the end of the First World War, and is considered one of the most important figures in the history of the film industry.

 

 

 

It was the film producer Mark Sennett that noticed Chaplin’s talent as a comedian. His debut in a movie was in 1914 as “the Tramp”. After a short time, everyone knew him as the classical figure with loose pants, tight jacket, big shoes, cane and mustache. The figure reached a high popularity, so in 1919 created Chaplin and three friends a film company called United Artists. Now he could both make, directing and produce his own movies. Charlie didn’t just act in movies as “the Tramp”, he actually played many different roles. For instance he played a barber in a ghetto, the dictator Hynkel, and an elegant female murder.
             

Chaplin was criticized in public for his marriages with very young women, his radical and political views, and that he kept his British citizenship. After being accused of un-American activities, he settled in Switzerland in 1953.

So, what do you think about Charlie Chaplin? He seemed like a pretty interesting man, with quite a life! If you haven't seen the Tramp, you should do it right away! Or, you can watch this funny video I found of him on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_1apYo6-Ow

 

As I said earlier, this is unfortunately my last post on this blog. I don’t say this a lot, but this assignment fits me perfect to be honest. I love to write texts, both facts and blogs like this. I hope you liked to read my posts, because I really loved writing it! I’ve worked hard trying to create a balance between facts and made up histories by me, and I’m quite satisfied. Of course I’m hoping for a good grade, since I’ve put a lot of work and time in this.

 

Lots of love, Synne

 

 

An historical event, Apollo 11

Hello everyone!
Today I travelled to Fort Myers. Fort Myers is known for their long, beautiful beaches, so I’ve been bathing a lot today. When the sun was gone and the stars appeared, I took a night walk in the streets. I like to walk alone, watching the stars, and just think. This evening, I had the universe on my mind. How big is it? Why are there so many stars?  Are there life on other planets out there? As I trudged around with these thoughts, I decided to go to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida the next day. A very nice guide told me so much about the Apollo 11, so I learned a lot. At the evening, after the visit, I decided to walk to my hotel room and write a blog post about what I learned. I hope you think it is almost as exciting as I thought:

Apollo 11 was the spaceflight that landed the first humans on the Moon. The crew was based on three astronauts: Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins. The launch found place at Kennedy Space Center 16^th of July 1969. Apollo 11 landed on the moon 20^th of July 21:17 (Norwegian time). Six and a half hour later, 21^th of July 03:56 (Norwegian time), Neil Armstrong took the ever first step on the moon. 

The launch of Apollo 11 was sent on TV over the whole world. Almost 600 million viewers watched the launch anxiously. Apollo 11 shot off with a speed of 11 kilometers per second, which corresponds to ca. 40,000 km/h. Four days later the moon landing aircraft, the Eagle, landed on the moon. Only Armstrong and Aldrin was aboard the aircraft, so they were the only ones who got the opportunity to walk on the moon. Collins manned the main aircraft, Columbia, which went into orbit around the moon. 

 

A moonwalk was completed while landing the Eagle on the lunar surface. The eagle was on the moon in more than twenty-one and a half hour. Meanwhile these hours, Armstrong and Aldrin collected dust and stones, photographed and filmed, and not to mention planted the American flag. In addition, they received a phone call from the then US President Richard Nixon.

  

The project of landing humans on the moon started ten years earlier. The Soviet Union had successfully managed to send a spaceship into orbit around the earth. The Americans were afraid that the Russians would take the lead in the race for developing spaceships and equipment to explore the universe. Therefor the president, John F. Kennedy, promised the nation to land an aircraft with humans on the moon within ten years. As we all know now, he kept his promise.

The most famous quote from the incident is the sentence Armstrong said while he was the first human to step his foot on the moon. All around the world, millions of radio-listeners and TV-viewers could hear him say: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”.  

  

I hope you enjoyed the blog post, at least learned something new about Apollo 11. This is unfortunately my last week here in the US, so the next post I’m going to write will also be my last one. I have to admit that I think it’s kind of sad. Have a great day!

Lots of love, Synne