You might not think there would be many similarities between the exploration of the North Pole by Robert Peary in1909 and the exploration of the moon, but there are many. That is why we selected this explorer to research.
Looking at the Earth and the Moon, both have ice at the poles. They are both covered in this thick ice and very isolated from anything else. Both are basically uninhabited. The explorations of both were unsuccessful at first. Peary and his group, including Matthew Henson explored and mapped the arctic for 18 years before success. It took three trips to finally reach the North Pole. It took many missions in space before we were able to get the first man on the moon.
The missions were doubted by many in both cases. Some people doubted we really had men on the moon at first. Some even said it was a Hollywood stage so the space program could look successful and get more money.
When Peary returned from his success, people thought it was impossible because it was too remarkable. Then Frederick Cook claimed that his reached the pole a whole year earlier than Peary. People believed the story by Cook. In 1911, there was a Congressional inquiry into the claims by both men. Peary�s diary was made a public document and his findings were confirmed by the U.S. Navy and two athletes about the ocean depth soundings and dog sled speeds. Having written details in his journal proved that he actually went to the North Pole. That�s why his journal writing was so significant. He might never have gotten credit for his discovery if he didn�t take lots of notes on where he was and what he saw. Times, dates and details were very important when they later investigated his claims.
Explorers to both places kept a journal about the initial visits. Peary used a sextant and recorded in his journal on April 6 and April 7, 1909 that they were at the North Pole. During one of his failed attempts where he had to get some toes amputated, he found the energy to write in his journal in Latin �Invenium viam aut faciam� � I shall find a way, or make one.�
The first explorers on the moon and Robert Peary at the North Pole both planted the American Flag at their goal. In Peary�s journal it said �I have today hoisted the national sigh of the United States of America at this place which my observations indicate to be the North Polar axis of the earth, and have formally taken possession of the entire region, and adjacent, for and in the name of the President of the United States of America I leave this and the United States flag in possession.
Both are still being explored. The Arctic and North Pole are being used as a test area to see how humans would work and live in very cold places so they can explore better in space. So that is yet another similarity.
But without his journal, we might have believed the lies of Frederick Cook long ago and Peary, Henson and the rest of their group might never have been in our history books. Robert Peary�s wife, Josephine later turned her journal into a book called My Arctic Journal and not only did she go on many of the Arctic explorations with him, but she even had a baby in the Arctic. Her journal told about the native methods of travel, clothing, hunting and shelter by the Eskimos as well as the planning by her husband. Her story help confirm his. Matthew Henson also kept a journal that was looked at to confirm Peary�s finding. Journals are a very important part of documentation and history. |
