Sojourner Truth: Traveler of Truth

A couple of months ago a friend, Hannah, was about to graduate from university and emailed to ask for relocation and employment advice since she knew I had done it before; moved a long distance from home, found a place to live and a job. My advice was simple – go! I reminded her that the roads conveniently work in both directions. I told her if things don’t work out, it’s easy to go back to familiarity, especially when parents or loved ones are there to take you in and help is available from friends and family, so just do it and go. Hannah thanked me, said I relieved her concerns and suggested that I blog about it; that maybe I could help others in the same situation. So I decided to take her advice this time. 

In considering how to approach this topic, I couldn’t help but think about all of the women throughout history who didn’t have a safety net of any kind (parents, a stable home, extended family, friends, resources, skills, education), yet found their way and managed to change the world in the process. I learned that Sojourner Truth is one of those amazing women.

Born a slave in New York in 1797, Isabella Baumfee was first purchased at the age of 9 along with a herd of sheep for $100. Her owner’s family beat and whipped her, and it was during this time she found refuge in religion, praying aloud when being hurt or was scared. She was sold several times, each time enduring harsh and cruel treatment at the hands of her owners. Around the age of 18 she fell in love with Robert, a fellow slave, but his owner forbade the relationship; he didn’t want his slave having children with a slave he did not own – and therefore would not own the new “property” they produced. One night when Robert visited, his owner and the owner’s son followed him, beat him savagely, bound and dragged him away, never to return. Isabella had a daughter soon after. In 1817 she was forced to marry an older slave and they had four children together.

New York legislated the abolishment of slavery, set to happen on July 4th, 1827. The year before Isabella’s owner had promised her freedom, however, he went back on his promise; Isabella was infuriated. She continued working until she had done enough to feel that she had satisfied her obligations to him (spinning 100 pounds of wool) then escaped with her infant daughter before dawn. Later, she had said:

“I did not run off, for I thought that wicked, but I walked off, believing that to be all right.”

Not certain where she was going and praying for direction, Isabella wandered about, ending up at the home of the Van Wagenens. Her owner soon arrived threatening to take her baby and insisting she come back. Mr. Van Wagenen offered to buy Isabella for the remainder of the year until the emancipation fully took effect. Her owner accepted $20 for her purchase.

Isabella had a life-changing, religious experience during her time with the Van Wagenens. She felt “overwhelmed with the greatness of the Divine presence” and was inspired to preach, quickly becoming known as “remarkable and whose influence was miraculous.” 

Settling in New York City, Isabella had lost her savings and possessions. She resolved to leave and make her way as a traveling preacher. On June 1, 1843, Isabella Baumfree changed her name to Sojourner Truth, telling friends “the Spirit calls me and I must go.” She wandered, depending on the kindness of strangers, ending up at the Northampton Association of Education and Industry in Massachusetts. The group lived on 500 acres of farmland raising livestock, running saw and grist mills and a silk factory. The 210 member group was formed by abolitionists promoting cooperative and productive labor. They were religiously-tolerant women’s rights supporters who were strongly anti-slavery. There, Sojourner worked with notable abolitionists Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison. The group disbanded in 1846 amid debt, unable to stay profitable. Sojourner then went to live with group member George Benson who had started his own cotton mill.

The Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave was privately published in 1850, giving Sojourner an income, increasing her speaking engagements and where she could sell copies of her book. She spoke about anti-slavery and women’s rights, often sharing her personal experiences as a slave. Sojourner bought a home in Northampton for $300 after the mill closed. 

Sojourner became involved with an offshoot of the Quakers, a group called Progressive Friends; a spiritualism movement who believed in abolition, the rights of women, non-violence, and communicating with spirits. She bought a home in Harmonia, Michigan in 1857 to live with the community.

During the Civil War, Sojourner spoke on the Union’s behalf; for freeing slaves and enlisting black troops for the war cause. She worked at a government refugee camp for freed slaves in Virginia. While there in 1864, she was invited to the White House to meet President Abraham Lincoln. She continued to work to help the newly-freed slaves after the war ended through the Freedman’s Relief Association and the the Freedman’s Hospital in Washington. In 1867 she moved to Battle Creek, Michigan. There she converted a “barn,” owned by William Merritt, into a house, which four years later he gave her the deed to.

Sojourner spent the year of 1879 in Kansas helping refugees who were migrating west and north by speaking in churches to gain support for the “Exodusters” who were trying to build a new life after the end of slavery. This endeavor was to be her last in her mission.

In July of 1883, Sojourner sought treatment back home in Battle Creek for ulcers on her legs from Dr. John Harvey Kellogg. He grafted some of his own skin onto her legs to try to help cure her ailments. She died at her home on November 26, 1883 at the age of 86.

It’s been 130 years since Sojourner Truth’s last mission. African Americans, women, and society in general, have benefitted greatly from her sacrifices. Sojourner Truth had no safety net, no one to depend on, she struggled, took risks, yet accomplished so much simply by pursuing what she felt to be right. So I say go, in the spirt of Sojourner Truth, and find your place in the world – go. 

I can’t help but think that she is the flawless reflection of the familiar saying from the Bible, “The Truth Will Set You Free.” And yes, she sure did.

Now you’re a little smarter, Girlfriend – And so am I.


Exoduster: a name given to men migrating along the Mississippi River to Kansas in the late 1800’s. Known as the “Great Exodus,” it was the first general migration of African Americans following the end of the Civil War.

In 1854 in Akron, at the Ohio Woman’s Rights Convention, Sojourner Truth gave her most famous speech with her legendary phrase, “Ain't I a Woman?” 

“That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud puddles, or gives me any best place, and ain’t I a woman? ... I have plowed, and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me – and ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man (when I could get it), and bear the lash as well – and ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children and seen most all sold off to slavery and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me – and ain’t I woman?”

Place Settings

I recently hosted an informal dinner party for a couple of my girlfriends and their husbands. I decided it would be easier to go ahead and set the table with napkins and utensils. So as I started setting the table, I thought to myself how helpful it would be if I actually knew the proper way to do it. Knife on the right or left, spoon with the fork... I had no idea but I decided that it was about time to learn it.

For a very simple, informal place setting:

• Forks on the left
• Napkin on the left with the open end facing away from the plate, either to the left of the fork or under it
• Spoons on the far right
• Knife on the right closest to the plate with the cutting edge facing the plate
• Drink glasses just above the knife on the right
• Bread plate on the left side above the fork

One way to remember which bread plate and drinking glass is yours, helpful when your out at a dinner with lots of people, is that if you make an “okay” sign with your hands, your left hand forms a “b” for bread and your right hand forms a “d” for drink. That way you won’t worry that you’re eating your neighbor’s bread!

And a great way to remember the proper order of the silverware is to simply alphabetize, reading from left to right: Fork, Knife, Spoon.

Now you’re a little smarter, Girlfriend — And so am I.

The Dashes – En, Em and Hyphen

I am a big fan of the dash and use it frequently in my writing. For me, dashes just fit in well with the way my mind creates written sentences. But I was a bit stumped recently when someone asked me, when do you use an en dash and when do you use an em dash and why can’t you just use a hyphen? Hmmm – good questions. I basically knew the answers, but to be honest, I learned that my preference for using the en dash is technically incorrect – I should really be using the em dash. Drat.

In grammar, the dash can be used to interrupt the flow of a sentence and give a moment of pause before an important or dramatic statement. The dash introduces a related portion after a sentence and gives it more emphasis. The writer can use it to indicate to the reader there is about to be an abrupt change in tone or thought.

The dash functions in much the same manner as a colon, both introduce a related element after a sentence, but the dash is much less formal than a colon. A colon typically tells the reader more information is going to be added to the sentence they just read. The dash is the strongest method possible used to draw attention – it adds dramatic flair. Dashes can be used like commas or parentheses, but if there isn’t much of a payoff after the dash, it’s best to stick to a comma or parentheses.

Here are examples:

I’m going on vacation – to Paris!

I need a few things from the grocery for dinner tonight: peas, linguini and broccoli.

If you don’t mind, could you pick up the mail?

I ran a few errands (grocery, pharmacy and post office).

So, what is the difference between the en, the em and the hyphen and when are they used?

EN Dash ( – ) As long as the width of a capital typeset letter N. The en dash is used to indicate an inclusive range, such as between two numbers like time, money or dates.

EM Dash ( — ) As long as the width of a capital typeset letter M. The em dash is the one that is used in a sentence for emphasis.

Hyphen ( - ) Splits a word at the end of a line or joins compound words. The hyphen connects words and is never to be used in place of a dash.

The length of an en dash falls halfway between the length of a hyphen and length of an em dash. The length of the en and em dashes were originally based on traditional typesetting standards of the N and M, hence the names en and em, but that rule is no longer hard and fast with computer fonts.

There are two ways to format em dashes in a sentence and either way is acceptable. You can use a space or no space preceding and following the em dash, whichever you prefer, just be sure to stay consistent. And a good rule of thumb is to limit the use of em dashes to no more than two per paragraph.

While I’m glad to learn the correct way to use a dash in sentences, I will likely stick to my preference for using the shorter en dash – I just like the way it looks.

Now you’re a little smarter, Girlfriend — And so am I

The Declaration of Independence

I mentioned in a recent blog, The Preamble, that I had bought a book about the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Being that it is the 4th of July weekend where most Americans will be celebrating in some manner, I thought the Declaration of Independence would be an appropriate topic to remind us it’s about more than just barbecues and fireworks.

“When in the Course of human Events...” is the beginning phrase of the Declaration of Independence written 234 years ago. The Declaration was a revolutionary manifesto meant to end British rule over America by proclaiming its justified end. Initially, the colonists wanted to avoid independence, even after the outbreak of war at Lexington and Concord in April of 1775. The Second Continental Congress were pressed by their constituents to reconcile with the mother country, which they tried. But after the arrival of more British troops in January of 1776, it was clear the King still held much hostility towards the states. Word spread among the colonists and the consensus was that the time had come to found new governments, free of kings and hereditary rulers, governments whose power came from the popular choice. This conclusion was based on the way the king had treated Americans over the previous years and not on the flaws of Britain’s form of government.

The colonist’s reasons for wanting independence from Britain were cited as King George III’s: refusal to answer their petition for peace from the Second Continental Congress; his approval of the Prohibitory Act of December 1775 essentially making their ships and ports vulnerable to attack by his Royal Navy; marking war on his subjects from America; burning American towns; enlisting slaves and indians to fight against the colonists; and contracting with Germany for mercenary soldiers to assist in his reestablishment of authority in North America.

The colonists knew they needed help from a non-British ally or face being destroyed by Britain’s larger and stronger forces. To attain help, they had to state their intent to cut ties with Britain. On June 7, 1776 they put forth this resolution:

“That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.”

On June 11, Congress appointed a committee to draft a declaration to be issued if Congress adopted independence. The committee consisted of five men:

Thomas Jefferson – Virginia Delegate

John Adams – Massachusetts Delegate

Benjamin Franklin – Pennsylvania Delegate

Robert Livingston – Lawyer/Politician/Diplomat from New York

Roger Sherman – Lawyer/Politician from Connecticut

(a delegate is an elected non-voting member of the House of Representatives from a U.S. territory or from Washington, D.C.)

The Declaration of Independence, most of which was penned by Thomas Jefferson, was the action of Second Continental Congress and a unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America for freedom from Britain rule. Throughout the Declaration, the facts set forth for independence repeatedly

state “he,” meaning King George III. Probably the most well known excerpt from the Declaration, that most of us have heard, is; “...that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness...” But how the Declaration ends, the final sentence, I find to be most poignant. “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”

Our independence from Britain was an impossible achievement, one that realistically we should not have succeeded in because they were a substantially stronger opponent. But it was accomplished through the unwavering determination of Americans from those 13 colonies who knew it was imperative and worthy of sacrifice. So every July 4th, we give thanks by remembering and honoring them for their fearless and steadfast commitment to the inception and the future of these now 50 United States of America.

Remarkably, John Adams died on July 4, 1826. His friend, Thomas Jefferson, died that same day.

Now you’re a little smarter, Girlfriend — And so am I.

Sodium

A few weeks ago I started making dinner and turned on the television to watch the news but forgot to change the channel. The show “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader” came on, which I have to admit I’d heard about but never watched. I decided to listen as I cooked just to see how I did. One of the questions was, which element on the periodic table is known by the symbol Na. I was so excited – I actually knew the answer. Even better, the gal playing the game missed it! It was a small triumph though because she pretty much got all of the other questions correct and I – did not. Apparently, I should be watching that show and not the news.

Symbol: Na / Group: Alkali Metal / Atomic Number: 11

Sodium is most commonly known to us as salt. But our table salt is not pure sodium, it’s actually sodium chloride (NaCl), which is the combination of the elements sodium and chlorine. And if we happen to be on a low-sodium diet, then it’s potassium chloride we are eating. Potassium chloride isn’t as tasty as sodium chloride and has a bitter metallic note to its saltiness, which must be why people prefer regular salt.

When exposed to air, the silvery color of sodium tarnishes, turning white within seconds. What is most interesting about sodium is that it’s extremely explosive. When you throw sodium into water, it rapidly generates hydrogen gas and seconds later ignites with a massive bang spewing flaming sodium in all directions. The other alkali metals react in much the same way, but when sodium reacts with water it produces sodium hydroxide, or Lye which is commonly used as a drain opener.

The salt in our oceans isn’t pure sodium either. It’s mostly sodium, chloride, magnesium, calcium, potassium and sulfate. The elements of this salt “cocktail” arrive from various sources: decayed biological matter, volcanic vents in the Earth’s crust, breaking up of rocks via erosion of mountains, the dissolving action of rain, streams washing particles into the oceans, and even from our atmosphere. This complex salt content of our oceans is why sea salt tastes different from our typical table salt. The elements that make up both are not the same.

So why is the symbol for sodium Na and not So? Sodium comes from the Latin name natrium, which actually comes from the Egyptian name natron, the word for the natural mineral salt.

Now you’re a little smarter, Girlfriend — And so am I.

The American’s Creed

I have to admit, I didn’t even know that we had an American’s Creed. But, with Independence Day fast approaching, now is an opportune time to learn about it. And with the fatigue from our current economic pinch and seemingly perpetual bad news, maybe we can find some inspiration from a truly selfless man – a true American in every sense of the word.

William Tyler Page of Maryland, who was an employee of the U.S. House of Representatives and Clerk of the House from 1919 to 1931, was the winner of a nationwide contest for the best summary of American political faith. His idea was to write a creed in the style of the Apostle’s Creed (I’ll have to look that one up.) It came to him while driving home from church in 1917, a time when the United States was fighting World War I. Page used the writings of the Declaration of Independence, Preamble to the Constitution and the Gettysburg Address for inspiration. The U.S. House of Representatives accepted Page’s Creed on behalf of the American people and in 1918, it became the official American’s Creed.

The prize William Tyler Page won: $1,000. I’m sure that was a substantial amount of money in 1918. But rather than keep it for himself, he used the money to buy Liberty Bonds and gave them to his church. Now that is a true American.

The American’s Creed

I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a Republic; a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect Union; one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.

I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it; to support its Constitution; to obey its laws; to respect its flag; and to defend it against all enemies.

Tomorrow, I am going to do a good deed for a fellow American because I am happy to be an American. Thanks for the inspiration, Mr. Page.

Now you’re a little smarter, Girlfriend — And so am I.

The Eagle Has Landed

My father-in-law happens to be friends with Neil Armstrong. I was fortunate to meet Mr. Armstrong and his wife at my mother-in-law’s funeral and although it was under sad circumstances, it was none-the-less a cool thing to actually meet the person who was the first human ever to step foot on the moon.

On July 20, 1969, Apollo II astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed Eagle on the surface of the moon. Moments after they landed, Neil Armstrong’s voice from a quarter of a million miles away announced to Earth, “the Eagle has landed.”

Eagle’s trip to the moon’s surface had not gone exactly as planned. The computer had overloaded and the spacecraft hurled toward the surface – Houston decided not to abort the mission and directed “Eagle, you are a go for landing.” The computer had overshot Eagle’s mark by four miles and as Armstrong looked out the window to find a smooth landing area, he saw they were approaching a crater of jagged boulders. A warning light began to blink indicating they were running out of landing fuel. With no other options, Armstrong took command from the computer and safely landed Eagle just as the low-fuel signal flashed. Six and a half hours later, he and Aldrin stepped onto the surface of the moon.

Before Armstrong and Aldrin departed, they left a plaque on the moon that says:

HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH

FIRST SET FOOT UPON THE MOON

JULY 1969, A.D.

WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND

If we could create peace on Earth for all mankind, that would truly be an amazing achievement!

Now you’re a little smarter, Girlfriend — And so am I.

The Preamble

Well, it’s been far too long since I’ve blogged — I had good intentions. Time to get back to learning.

Last fall I got very involved in a local PAC (political action committee) for a great cause in which we were unfortunately defeated, but sometimes it only takes a few to make a big difference and you still have to try no matter the odds.

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a book at our local bookstore, Pages, about the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It made me think a lot about the sacrifices made by so many, the courage and dedication of a handful, and how both made such an impact on our lives today. Our small PAC fighting for 13 acres of land would not have been possible had it not been for all of the people who have given so much for us to not have to give much at all. So I sat down with my book and memorized the Preamble. I felt like it was something I absolutely should know by heart. We all take our freedoms for granted, but even little things, like going against the world’s largest retailer, reminds me how truly fortunate we are to have our voices heard regardless of the outcome.

The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Now you’re a little smarter, Girlfriend — And so am I.

Pronunciation

I read a magazine article a while back that listed the top 10 mispronounced words. The two I was guilty of was “realtor” and “jibe” of which I was happy to learn the correct pronunciation. I hear both of those words mispronounced often. My husband immediately looked up the word “jibe” after I corrected him—he couldn’t just take my word for it.

Incorrect  / Correct

assessory  /  accessory
calvary  / cavalry

cannidate  / candidate

comfterble  / comfortable

dialate  / dilate

disasterous  / disastrous

ecsetera  / etcetera

expecially  / especially

expresso  / espresso

heidth  / height

jive  /  jibe

lambast  / lambast

eminiture  / miniature

mischievious  / mischievous

nucular  / nuclear

ordinance  / ordnance

perculate  / percolate

perogative  / prerogative

perscription  / prescription

realator  / realtor

reoccur  / recur

sherbert  / sherbet

silicone  / silicon

snuck  / sneaked

spitting image  / spit and image

stomp  / stamp

supposably  / supposedly

taunt  / taut

tickilish  / ticklish

verbage  / verbiage

volumptuous  / voluptuous

yoke  / yolk

Now you’re a little smarter, Girlfriend — And so am I.

Keeping Time

I always assumed that our clock time that we live by has been around for hundreds of years. Well, I found out it’s more like just over a hundred years.

Until the 1800’s, every village in the United States lived in its own time zone with all of the clocks synchronized to the solar noon. With the advent of trains this created mayhem trying to keep on a schedule. For years watches were made that could tell both the local time and “railway time.” It wasn’t until 1883 that American railway companies forced the adoption of national standardized time zones.

One second used to be defined as 1/86,400 the length of a day, but Earth’s rotation isn’t completely reliable. Tidal friction from the Sun and Moon slows our planet and increases the length of a day by 3 milliseconds per century. This means that during the time of the dinosaurs a day was just 23 hours long.

Weather also changes the day. During El Niño events, strong winds can slow the rotation of the Earth by a fraction of a millisecond every 24 hours. To keep time in sync with the Earth’s slowing rotation, a “leap second” is added every few years. The last time a “leap second” was added was on New Year’s Eve of 2009.

The world’s most accurate clock is at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Colorado. It measures vibrations of a single atom of mercury. In a billion years it will not lose one second.

Daylight savings time was started by Ben Franklin. He spent a lot of time in France and realized that their later nights and sleeping in in the mornings used more resources, namely candles. Daylight savings times was implemented to utilize more daylight hours and conserve resources. The amount of money saved since it started is incalculable. Today, the Department of Energy estimates that electricity demand drops by 0.5 percent during Daylight Savings Time and save the equivalent of almost 3 million barrels of oil daily.

Interesting Facts: According to quantum theory, the shortest moment of time that can exist is known as Planck time, or 0.0000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 second • Einstein showed that gravity makes time run more slowly, thus airplane passengers, flying where Earth’s pull is weaker, age a few extra nanoseconds each flight

Now you’re a little smarter, Girlfriend — And so am I.

Astronomical Unit (AU)

I have to say, I don’t think I’ve heard the term “Astronomical Unit” before. I do use the word “astronomical” when referring to big things, so I thought I’d do a little research. I anticipated there would be some correlation between the two.

Astronomical — of or relating to astronomy, extremely large

An Astronomical Unit is approximately the mean distance between the Earth and the Sun. It is used to indicate distances within our solar system.

The recent (suspected) comet that hit Jupiter is thought to be from a part of the solar system known as the Oort Cloud that sits well beyond Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. This region of space spans a zone between 1,000 and 20,000 AU away from the Sun.

Here is the formal definition that makes my brain hurt. The radius of an unperturbed circular orbit a massless body would revolve about the sun in 2*(pi)/k days (i.e. 365.2568983... days), where k is defined as the Gaussian constant exactly equal to 0.01720209895. Since an AU is based on radius of a circular orbit, one AU is actually slightly less than the average distance between the Earth and Sun. (I’m guessing this is because the Earth does not orbit in a perfect circle, rather an oval where the Sun is not exactly in the middle. See my blog on Perihelion, Aphelion and Precession.)

History of Earth/Sun Distance — In the late 1500’s Tycho Brahe estimated the distance at 5 million miles. The early 1600’s Johannes Kepler estimated 15 million miles. In the late 1600’s Giovanni Cassini estimated 87 million miles by observing Mars and estimating our distance from that planet and then was able to determine the Earth to Sun distance. Pretty close for so long ago. Funny that I cannot find who was able to determine the current distance–will keep looking.

So what is Earth’s distance from the Sun? 93 million miles, or 1 Astronomical Unit. Wow. What an astronomical distance!

Now you’re a little smarter, Girlfriend — And so am I.

Astronauts

With the recent anniversary of the first manned lunar landing 40 years ago and the final spacewalk on the International Space Station today, I thought some astronaut and Moon knowledge would be appropriate.

There are three kinds of astronauts aboard the U.S. Space Shuttles: Pilot or Commander – Heads the mission and controls the spacecraft, Mission Specialist – Crew members who carry out specific jobs, such as performing experiments or going on spacewalks and Payload Specialist – Scientists and other on-board guests who are not NASA astronauts.

There are three kinds of spacecraft: Unmanned Probes, Artificial Satellites and Manned Spacecraft.

Interesting Facts:

• The very first astronauts were jet pilots.
  
• Astronauts need to be fit and have 20/20 eyesight.
  
• Weightlessness makes astronauts grow an inch or so during a long mission.
  
• Astronauts need to be between 5’4” and 6’4”.
  
• The word “astronaut” comes from the Greek words meaning sailor among the stars.
  
• “Cosmonaut” is a member of the Russian space program.
  
• The first woman in space was cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova in 1963.
  
• The first man in space was cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in 1961.
  
• Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard was the first American in space just 23 days after Yuri Gagarin.
  
• The first human to step outside a spacecraft was cosmonaut Alexei Leonov in 1965.
  
• Three months later, astronaut Edward White II made the first spacewalk for the U.S.
  
• Soviet probe Lunar 9 was the first moon landing in 1966.
  
• Apollo 8 was the first to orbit the Moon in 1968.
  
• Neil Armstrong was the first human to step foot on the moon, following behind him was Buzz Aldrin in 1969.
  
• E.V.A. (Extra-Vehicular Activity) is the technical name for going outside a spacecraft.
  
• The first spacewalkers were tied to their spacecraft by life-support cables.
  
• Astronauts have brought back 838 pounds of Moon rock.
  
• A mirror was left on the Moon to reflect a laser beam to measure the Moon’s distance from Earth.
  
• The laser measurements show that, on average, the Moon is 233,806 miles from Earth.
  
• Temperatures vary from 243°F at noon to -260°F at night on the Moon.
  
• The gloves of Apollo 11 astronauts had tiny lights built into the fingertips.
  
• Spacesuits are officially called E.M.U.s (Extra-Vehicular Mobility Units.)
  
• The cost of a spacesuit is around $11 million, of which 70% is for the backpack and controls.
  
• Laika, a dog, was the first living creature in space aboard the Soviet’s Sputnik 2.
  
• Carbon dioxide that crews breathe out is absorbed by pellets of lithium hydroxide.
  
• The U.S. space shuttle reaches speeds of 18,650 mph.

Now you’re a little smarter, Girlfriend — And so am I.