The amazing adventure

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Arctic Hero
By Catherine Johnson

• The amazing adventure
• of a man who lived
• 2 incredible different lives.
• By The College High
• Specialist Arts School

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What is the book about?

• This is a story about trekking across the frozen
  Arctic!
• This is a story about fighting snow blindness,
  frostbite, and risking your life for a fantastic
  ambition!
• This is a story about getting to the North Pole
  before anybody else!

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Matthew Henson

• It is also a story about one man called Matthew
  Henson, who lived two very different lives. To
  his few friends he was just plain old matt.
• But now he is known as an American hero!
• And the best thing is, it is all true!!!!!!!!

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Matts Early Years

• Matt was born near Washington DC in America in
  1866.
• By the age of 8 his parents died, and he had to
  live with a step mother who beat him.
• By the age 11 he ran away from home and by the
  age of twelve he got a job working in a café. A
  lot of children had jobs in those days.
• Matt was happy working in the café for a while,
  and listening to tales about different lands from
  other people.

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The Times

• Slavery had just been abolished but black
  people were still being treated badly in many
  states, and were forced to live separate from
  white people like second class citizens. Most
  were very poor.

Matthews Dream
Matthew longed for adventure! But the only way
for a poor boy to see anything of the world was
to work on board a ship, so, he went to Baltimore
(and walked 40 miles) aged 12 to try and find a
job on one.
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• Matt got a job on board a ship. It was a big risk
  because life on a ship could be hard and cruel,
  but he was lucky to have a kind captain who
  taught him reading, writing, maths and ship
  navigation.
• Matt worked his way up quickly, and became very
  well respected and trusted
• Matt sailed all over the world and saw many
  different lands!

Growing Up
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Robert Peary

• The captain died when Matt was 17, and he was
  forced to get a job on land doing jobs that such
  as fetching and carrying.
• Matt met Robert when he was working in a store.
  Robert was in the navy and was planning to be a
  great explorer. His first trip was Central
  America, but he wanted to go to Greenland, which
  was frozen!
• Matt became his servant for the first trip, but
  he was soon promoted when Robert saw how useful
  he was. They became friends and Robert treated
  Matt with respect.
• Robert wanted to be the first man in history to
  set foot on the North Pole!

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Arctic Conditions

• The Arctic is very dangerous and can be -35
  degrees! It could cause your fingers and toes to
  freeze, killing and rotting the flesh!
• Robert and Matt attempted to reach the North Pole
  3 times. Others were trying to do the same thing,
  so it became a great race!
• In order to reach it, they had to take sleds and
  watch out for areas of open water that lie under
  thin sheets of ice.
• Matt learned many survival skills from local
  innuit tribes including hunting, driving sleds
  and keeping warm
• In the Arctic Robert knew that without Matt he
• wouldnt get very far.

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You must read this book because

• It is full of adventure!
• It is a true story about one mans determination
  and great spirit.
• It is a story about a great friendship that
  lasted more than 20 years!
• You will definitely enjoy it!

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• The College High Specialist Arts School

Champion of
Champion of Arctic Hero
Arctic Hero