Admiring Muggles

Welcome to the first Muggle Studies class. To begin the Hogwarts year off, we have a simple lesson today.

Choose a famous muggle from History who you admire, and in 300 words or more explain why you admire him/her. What in your opinion have they given to the muggle world? Focus upon one specific thing they have done and explain why, in your mind, it is so great.
Remember, the more detailed you are, the more house points you may receive!

Total Available house points: 100

Remember to site your sources (websites used) and no copying and pasting!

Points awarded to each student will be given once this class closes and will be upon the end of this post.

Have fun!

Ok, this might be a weird one but oh well..

I have always admired the work of William Shakespeare. Although I despise studying his work, I have to admit that he was extremely talented, it is just a shame that he is famous these days for students hating him!!
I think that he has given the muggle world a new outlook upon the english language and has been an eye opener for many writiers and poets along the way.
I would have to say that Romeo and Juliet is probably my favourite play of his, though i dolike a few of his sonnets as well.
I think that he is great due to the depth of his work. No one can write like him, although i still despise studying it lol

Dearie me, Moony. I can see we think the same... :D

One of the people I admire the most is William Shakespeare. Not only has he written what can be considered the best pieces of literature in the world, he has also inspired many playwrights and poets to take up the hobby, and publish their works.

This is one of the best things that I think Shakespeare has done for us today. If we didn’t have any of his works, we wouldn’t know what it meant to live in the Tudor times, and what people thought of it. Literature wouldn’t be the same as it is today, and the way people write would be different.

I think one of the things that Shakespeare did to influence people today is send a message through his plays. Throughout all of his drama tragedies, there is a running theme of the ‘hero’, so to say, going bad, and giving into evil. My first example is Macbeth- he was a powerful man before meeting the three witches, who, by reading the play, were looked down upon by those of the Tudor age.

Through plays like ‘Macbeth’, ‘Hamlet’, and ‘Othello’, there is a lead character who we eventually see the demise of, mostly through a fault of their own. Taking Macbeth as an example, we can see that his greed for power and his ambitious nature led to his downfall. Once he had been told by the witches that he would be King, he was impatient and wanted the position as early as possible, so he would go to any lengths to become King.

In other plays, such as ‘Romeo and Juliet’, Shakespeare tells us of a relationship gone wrong just because of a simple family feud. Again, we see the flaws of human nature, and the problems that it can cause other people around that person i.e. if the Montagues and the Capulets hadn’t been arguing in the first place, Romeo and Juliet wouldn’t have taken their own lives in order to be with the one they love.

Shakespeare tells us through plays like this that man is not perfect, and that everyone has some kind of weakness that they don’t want to admit to. Playwrights these days can learn from his messages that every play needs some kind of meaning or moral behind it, whether it is good or bad.

And 'tis my pleasure to be MS Prof

Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the World Scout Movement, Chief Scout of the World. In 1907, he held an experimental camp with 22 boys from working class families. This then led into the world famous Jamboree’s, which are held all over the world, every four years. Famous for his contribution to the development of Scouting, Baden-Powell was also able to make a number of educational innovations. His interest in adventure, association and leadership still repay attention today.

I admire him for the things he has done in giving opportunities to belong to a world organisation for all young people, no matter what their background.
The first international Scout Jamboree took place at Olympia, London in 1920. In 2007, the 100th Jamboree is taking place in Hylands Park, Essex. I have been given the opportunity to apply for a place, and if accepted, will get the chance to meet hundreds and guides and scouts from over 216 countries.
Baden-Powell created a ‘Scout Law’. Being a Girl Guide myself, the ‘Guide’ law is slightly different:

I promise to do my best
To love my god
To serve my queen and my country
To help other people
And to keep the guide law

After Baden-Powell died, an award was created for guides and scouts. It is one of the highest awards a guide can achieve, and when working towards it, you have to do an act of community service, organise ‘fun’ evenings for your Guide Unit and charity cake sales.

Without Baden-Powell, no one who has been a Rainbow, Brownie, Guide, Beaver, Cub, Ranger, Young leader or a Captain, would have had the ‘Scouting experience’.

Baden-Powell. We salute you!

Although not so much in history, yet the things he has done will go down in history. I admire Ronaldo who plays for Manchester United Football Club.

He has many great qualities that will be past onto future generations of muggles and wizards alike. His skills within this sport are astounding and helps lead his team to victory by his high goal scoring ability. Although not so much a skill, but a quality, he is also attractive to many teenage girls!!

The main reason I believe that Ronaldo has given something special to the muggle world, is because he is at the still young age of twenty one. It allows youngsters to strive for what they want in life in the way of sports and follow their dreams as Ronaldo is so young, it gives hope to others!

Overall, Ronaldo sticks within my mind for his amazing football skills, his great personality and brilliant looks!


:lol!:

I would have to say I admire the author Tolkien (I know I know traitor lol) but I guess it’s because he created that detailed world of ME for our enjoyment and for many more decades to come. He has given us another place to escape to and get dissolved into. And I admire the fact he put nearly all of his life into it for us and himself. He is a well accomplished author and he is truly outstanding in his knowledge of using the English language. To be able to create such a world and dedicate your whole life to writing for the benefits of others is very admirable. I think that more authors should be admired. Probably putting his own money into this trilogy and the various other companions is something. This book is nearly as popular as the bible (well I think it is) Popular enough to be adapted into the movies. If Professor Tolkien was still alive today he would be very proud of his achievement and what his son has put into it as well. Cheers Professor Tolkien!
P.S I know its not 300 words lol

Although there are many muggles who have achieved great things, I admire Dr. Percy LeBaron Spencer for inventing the microwave oven. He did this actually on accident; it was a by-product of another experiment. He was experimenting with a tube called a magnotron when he discovered that the candy bar in his pocket had melted and he tried other experiments with popcorn and an egg.

If he did not discover this I do not know what modern-day muggles would do, seeing as they do not know magic. They would probably still be cooking by campfire, so I admire Dr. Spencer for this invention.

Anyhow, he fashioned a metal box and fed microwave power into it. The microwave energy could not escape and when food was placed in the box the tempeture of the food rose rapidly. This is how Dr. Spencer invented the microwave oven.
(Yes, I know this is not 300 words. ><)

My sources were http://lsnhs.leesummit.k12.mo.us/projects/webpages/microwavepage.html and http://www.gallawa.com/microtech/history.html

I am personally a great admirer of the creator of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry. Gene was a man with a dream. He saw the future as something to be anticipated, not feared. But mostly I admire him because he truly believed in the human race. He believed that we were destined for greater things and all this madness was just some kind of phase we're going through, like a disobedient teenager.

He knew that people were capable of remarkable things if we tried. "Aliens didn't build the pyramids, human beings did!" He thought that given enough time the human race could set aside their differences, cure all disease, wipe out poverty and dedicate themselves to self-improvement rather than the accumulation of wealth. In his mind, it was a world that we could acheive. Its times such as these, times of war and conflict, of fear and damage, that Gene Roddenberrys vision of optimism should be embraced.

Star Trek did what very few other science fictions or television series have done; it showed the human race overcoming the difficulties that we face, moving past who we are today, what we're doing, and evolving as a species. And it has inspired many people. Given many hope that perhaps our future won't be as bad as it seems.

But it was more than a show, it was more than Roddenberrys dream, it was his vision. He had faith in the human race. In some twisted way the world that he imagined is, strangely, more real than the world we live in. All that we put on ourselves, fear, limit, hate, prejudice, it all must pass at some time. Because none of them are as real as hope, love, tolerance and the ability to see that anything is possible. He truly believed it all to be possible and that's what I admire most about him.

I'm a massive geek, I know. But he's the muggle I admire most, for the simple fact that his dreams and imagination gave hope to countless people.

i would have to say the most interesting muggle i have ever heard of would be that ben fraklin fellow he invited alot of stuff to make muggles lives easier he invented the printing press which we witches even use though we enhanced it some.he invented the stove which i think was cool we may be able to use magic but we still need things to cook on he also set a starandard for the americans to live by.he also discovered electricity which i find funny how he did it . but i admire ben franklin mainly for all that he did to improve this world we live in. just think of how it would have been it is very little spoken but he was like one of the first spies for the united states of america in the revolution he was constantly comming over to britain an trying to talk peace when that failed he would get his info from his old friends . i not sure if this is good enuff but thank you for the oppertunity to speak my piece

I admire Carlos Castillo Because....

He was a Man and men were usually frowned upon in the Fashion business back in his day! But he didnt quit or give up! He went on to being one of the most famouse Fashion Designers and Miss America coaches in America!
He was extremly talented, his work was one of the most sought after clothing brand from the 1970's all the way up to the early 1990's.
He coached as many as 178 women in the Miss. American pageantas and up to 147 of them he actually won! He got second or third in other compatitions, he didnt place in only 15 of the pageants he signed the lady he was repreasenting in up for.
Carlos lCastillo was a role model for all the men who wanted to be in Fashion but was to scared to do that because they were men, he even inspired Female Fashion Designers

He showed great accomplishments and extreme perserverance! He grew up in a poor family in Camden Ohio, he struggled through high school so he could get into college of a very prestigous college for Fashion and design in Orange county! He made it! and worked reall hard to be what he had always wanted to be....a fashion designer.

NICE WORK CARLOS!!!!!!

Ravenclaw is the best
We are smarter then the rest
Were the brains and the braun
Ravenclaw is number one!!!!

RAVENCLAW!!!!!!!!!

There are so many great muggles, it’s hard to say which one I admire the most. So I decided to choose more than one. In fact, I chose a whole family, which is the Romanov. The Romanov ruled over Russia for over three hundred years, from 1613 to 1917, when the Russian revolution put a stop to their reign. When I say that I admire the Romanov family, I mostly mean the last ones, the Tsar Nicholas II, Alexandra Fedorovna, the grand duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, and the small tsarevitch Alexis.

As I am not really good in politics, I can’t very well say I admire them for what they did for their country, but I do admire them as a family. Even though so many horrors came and destroyed their life, they stick up together and never let anybody down. Even if they were royalty, they were a very normal family. Olga was as wise, Tatiana as pretty, Maria as charming, Anastasia as funny and Alexis as fragile as anybody could be. Nicholas was very kind to all those he knew. Alexandra was very protective and completely in love with her husband and her children. They stood for each other in life… and in death, when Nicholas tried to protect his son from the deathly bullets that were shot on them.

I admire this family for their courage and for their love. Of course, there are many other great families which have not the privilege of being known, and the Romanovs are mostly popular – if I may say so – because they are royals, and their life was known of everybody. But still, I admire them for their faith and for their courage. I admire them for what they have suffered, for the pain they have known. But mostly, I admire them for their love.



Word count: 307

Ok, this might be a little long... but the points are needed.

Although Benjamin Franklin is often thought of as a politician, his first interest was in science and inventing. The life of this famous man began in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 17, 1706. Benjamin’s parents wanted him to accomplish much in life, but because of the large family they had, there was not enough money for Benjamin to go to school.

When he was older, Benjamin was sent to live with his brother and work in a printing office. He did not like his printing job and soon ran away to Philadelphia. Benjamin’s life in Philadelphia did not start out well. Seventeen years old, he arrived on a boat with only three cents. There, Benjamin Franklin began his experiments. Benjamin Franklin is responsible for many of the significant inventions and discoveries used today. He discovered how sailors could use the Gulf Stream to their advantage. Benjamin was the first to diagnose the mysterious sickness, nicknamed “dry grapes”. He reasoned that breathing in germs passed sicknesses from other people. Benjamin learned how to predict weather and how we can use it to our advantage.

Although Benjamin Franklin is famous for most of his inventions, many people do not realize that it was Benjamin Franklin who originally discovered how to use the Gulf Stream to improve communication. While he was working as the Postmaster General in 1769, he was told of complaints that mail from Europe to America took much longer to deliver than mail going from America to Europe. Benjamin traveled across the Atlantic Ocean eight times. During this time, he took water temperature readings and recorded them. Benjamin recorded that, “The western bank of the stream is significantly cooler (shallower water) than the eastern bank.” (Gulf Stream, 11) By looking at his records, Benjamin could find out the distance a ship was from America. He reasoned, “The velocity of the stream gradually slowed as it flowed north, but could maintain its relative warmth to the colder North Atlantic.” (Gulf Stream, 11) In 1770, Benjamin published a chart to assist mail ships traveling through the stream. Today, we know how to get from Europe to America much faster. The southbound ships stay on the outer edges of the stream to conserve fuel. The northbound ships chose maximum velocity stream current. We don’t know why, but Franklin suggested the name “Gulf Stream”, even though it has little to do with the Gulf of Mexico.

To Benjamin Franklin, it was very important to be able to prove theories, not just make guesses. During Franklin’s time, beliefs on health were based on superstitions. Benjamin Franklin wanted to figure out the cause of the mysterious sickness “dry grapes”. He found that people suffering from “dry grapes” were all in professions involving lead. He discovered that working with warm lead caused his hands to become stiff and sore. Benjamin suggested working with cold lead from then on. Pencils, which were once made with lead, are no longer made with lead because of Franklin’s discovery. Today, doctors can diagnose patients with lead poisoning and help them get the treatment they need.

In addition to helping people understand the dangers of lead, Franklin also changed their understanding of the cold and the medical situations. People originally thought that you caught a cold from wearing wet clothing and staying in a cold environment. Benjamin Franklin was convinced that the germs passed from one person to another when they breathed was what caused a cold. This discovery showed that people have to be careful about sharing items that might pass on germs, such as toothbrushes. Benjamin experimented with giving electric shocks to people with paralysis in limbs due to a stroke. Doctors took this information and used it to create new ways to help people with this problem. Benjamin Franklin invented a tube called a catheter, which was inserted into the body to help people with kidney stones. Today, similar techniques are used by doctors to treat their patients. Benjamin also developed fitness exercises, and now hundreds of people stay healthy by exercising just like Franklin described.

Benjamin Franklin wanted to be able to know what was going on with the weather, instead of having to guess and depend on superstitious ideas of when it was going to rain or when there was going to be a storm. Benjamin Franklin sparked the idea of being able to predict weather. He observed that northeast storms began in the southwest. He decided that storms travel in the opposite direction to their winds. Benjamin wrote an almanac that made weather predictions and told about weather. He used what he learned from his electrical experiments to explain lightning. During Franklin’s time, people did not know when a storm was coming or if it would rain soon. Their only way to predict the weather was by watching the horizon. Now, we know about weather well in advance. Today, we have technology to help us predict the weather, but the reason we have that technology is because Benjamin Franklin got people thinking about predicting the weather. Today, we can predict deadly hurricanes, like Hurricane Katrina. We can classify storms and figure out what people need to do to stay safe during the storm.

Benjamin Franklin was a problem solver who helped the United States flourish. His work with the Gulf Stream, lead poisoning, the common cold, and weather have been crucial to how we live today. This extraordinary American died April 17, 1790, but Benjamin Franklin lives on in the science and thinking of today. In Benjamin Franklin’s mind, nothing was too hard, and no problem was unsolvable. He was always thinking of ways to make the world better.

Sources-
‘Benjamin Franklin’ US History Jan 27 2006

Prof edit: Next time, space it out! I'm a validator on a fic site too, and I absolutely hate reading fics (or anything, really) that is stuck in one block of text! Paragraphs with one line of space in between please!

I am most respectful of a great man named Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma actually means great, coincidentally! He fought bravely and stood up for the rights of the entire Indian nation, and for the freedom from British rule. When I say that he fought, I also mean that he never used violence. He used his intellect and peaceful, direct approaches to the problems to be able to overcome the. He was a firm believer in the law of Ahimsa (non-violence). He was a unique character - humble, just, religious, patient, and most of all, determined to succeed in his cause.

I admire him most because his determination finally paid off, though he was put down and slandered by many of the ignorant British generals of the time.

When he fasted for the good of his country, people were astonished that he cared so much. He diligently made his own clothes from cotton, disregarding those who thought he was foolish. He boycotted the British industries such as the salt-makers, fabric companies from Manchester and Liverpool so that it would be fair to the exploited workers of India.

In his calm and passionate way, he united the country in a way that the British had not deemed possible. Normal, average Indians were standing up for their rights because they felt that they had someone on their side. The country finally rose together as one and India gained independence from British rule on the 15th of August 1947. Incidentally, this is my birthday, but that is beside the point.

Another amazing feat he accomplished was to abolish the Caste system. India used to be divided into different castes, depending on which job they had.

As a firm Hindu, a Gryffindor and a very patriotic Indian, I believe that Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership, bravery, will power, strength of mind and determination ought to be commended and everyone should know how hard he worked to unite such a largely populated country.

My favourite quote from Mahatma Gandhi:

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

wow MarieC you and I must be totally alike because when I read about this homework assignment this family came to my mind also.

The Romanov family was the last family to rule Russia. The father was the last Tzar. This family has always been interesting to me for some reason. Perhaps it's because my famiy also has four girls and I'm the youngest. This family is no different from my family or anybody's family. And for them so have to suffer as much as they did is just horrible. They were not only put under house arrest but watched as prisoners. The way they had to die is too gruesome to even mention. I've had to do a project about them before and all the documents I found about them were all statements on such wonderful people this family is to everyone.
The basic history of this family is that they were the last ruling family in Russia before World War II. They were overthrown and taken underhouse arrest. They were later them assasinated and decapitated. Yet there were rumors that the youngest daughter Anastasia escaped. There was even a young woman later found that claimed to be Anastasia. Some people believed her. Others didn't.

I admire this family for all the pain and troubles they have gone through. Yet documents of their lives before and during house arrest prove that not only did they never lose faith. They were there for each other and supported one another through this ordeal.[/img]

source - http://members.tripod.com/~Pharaoh30/

Im going to be a really rude annoying slytherin bookworm for a second here and prove my point as to why the person Im choosing is still alive, but still is from history. Yesterday is history. So if a person was born yesterday then they would have already been in history. So HaHAAHAHA thats why J.K. Rowling is my person because she was alive yesterday. so shes still history so HAHAHA.




J.K. Rowling (Jo) is one of the worlds most famous writers at this point in history. If you haven’t heard her name than you are probably an old lady who lives in her shoe with cat dung everywhere. But Jo wasn’t always famous. I mean not many people start out famous unless there like Paris Hilton or something. Back to the point…

Joanne Rowling was born July 31, 1965 in Chipping Sodbury, England (I heard three different places of birth and this one seems like the best answer hehe). She grew up near Bristol and Chepstow living with her mother, father, and sister Dianne.


Jo studied French at Exeter University and before taking up writing full time she had various jobs including secretary, English teacher, and a full-time mother to her children.

Jo hit it big when she came up with the idea of Harry Potter, while on a long journey from Scotland to London. (Much to people’s beliefs she did not start in a bar on a napkin so stop spreading that rumor if you were one of the people who heard that). The Harry Potter series is being made into movies. As we speak they are supposedly working on the fifth movie,(Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) She created a world that people(*cough* us *cough*) spend more than a few hours a day expanding. She created a sandbox and toys and now millions of people play in the wonderful sandbox.

She now lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, with her husband, Neil Murray, and her two children, Jessica and David. She has not finished the series but its only a matter of time before she finishes the last installment.


Student Notes:
http://www.pottertastic.com/books/jkrbiography.html

Well done to everyone! hese were an extremely interesting read!

Points have been deducted if the wording has not met the 300 words guideline and if the subject matter was not covered properly, though i did enjoy every single one of them! This was a long essay and you all did very well!

The housepoints are as follows;

Ravenclaw

Skyler - 30
So yun – 30
Roman – 45
Herbaceoustraitorous - 30
Bananakiwi - 30


Hufflepuff

marieC – 45
jennifer Williams - 35


Slytherin

Pansy – 30
Draypotter – 30
cute_polkadot_chick – 55
romance lover - 35


Gryffindor

Moony – 30
Running_swift – 45
rip_dogfather – 40
WaterLily - 45


cute_polkadot_chick was awarded an extra 10 points than was offered due to the extreme lngth of her essay and the extent she went into.

Walt Disney has been called “the most significant figure in graphic arts since Leonardo DaVinci.” He was a pioneer, an inventor, an innovator, and had one the most amazing imaginations of anyone who ever lived. Within his lifetime, Disney won 48 Academy Awards and 7 Emmys. Walt’s personal awards include honorary degrees from Harvard, Yale, USC, and UCLA. He has also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, France’s Legion of Honor, Thailand’s Order of the Crown, Brazil’s Order of the Southern Cross, Mexico’s Order of the Aztec Eagle, and a Showman of the World Award from the National Association of Theatre Owners.

Who is this amazing man? Walter Elias “Walt” Disney was born December 2 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. He created Mickey Mouse and founded Disneyland. He was raised on a farm in Missouri and loved to draw and take pictures. While in high school he also attended the Academy of Fine Arts.

When he was 16, he tried to join the military, but was rejected for being too young. He then joined the American Red Cross and was sent overseas to drive an ambulance, which he covered with his drawings. In 1923 he went to Hollywood, California with only $20 to his name, and a completed film in his bag. He joined up with his brother and started making movies in their uncle’s garage.

He created Mickey Mouse in 1928, and made the world’s first fully synchronized sound cartoon called “Steamboat Willie.” He introduced Technicolor to the world of animated movies with “Silly Symphonies,” and in 1937 made the first short film to use multi-plane cameras. His film “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was the first full length animated musical, and is still considered one of the greatest feats of the motion picture industry.

During World War II, Disney Studios was doing government work, making propaganda, health, training and comedy films for the armed forces. The health films are still used by the U.S. State Department.

He was the first to successfully combine live action and animation into the same film. He was also one of the first to present full color television programming.

He wanted to help improve the way we live, so he built EPCOT in Florida to house new and innovative ideas to improve urban life. He also helped establish the California Institute of the Arts. His Disneyland theme park in California is a destination for people around the world who want to have good clean fun with their families in an environment ripe with imagination.

He died December 15, 1966.

Walt Disney was a man of great imagination, who wanted to help the world remember how to use their own. He was an innovator in the film industry and of science (both of which I love). He had an enormous heart and love of people. This is why Walt Disney is the muggle that I admire.


Sources:
http://www.norsknettskole.no/fag/ressurser/itstud/fuv/gunnargrodal/bio.htm
http://www.justdisney.com/walt_disney/biography/long_bio02.html

Samantha Granger: 80