Norman Rockwell

Norman Rockwell was born in New-York on the third of febrary 1894. He died in Stokebridge in the Massachusets on the 8^th of november 1978. He was an American painter and illustrator and was a painter naturalist of the American life of the twentieth century. He is also famous because he illustrated from 1916 till 1960 the covers of the amarican magazine Saturday Evening Post.

He painted a picture being entitled « Problem we all live with » in 1964 which represents Rubby Bridges. Rubby Bridges is a little black girl who goes to the public school for the first time. On the picture she is protected by four white-skinned man to go to school but some poeple throw them tomatoes. Norman Rockwell was denouncing racism.

He also painted in 1942 « Freedom for love ». It's a joyful scene of a family meal where the people spend a good time together. This image is painted as if it was a picture and it represent a middle-class American family meeting around a turkey for Thanksgiving. It shows that family life and family traditions are important as weel as social life.

Amazing Grace

Amistad was released in 1997, by Steven Spielberg.

It last 152 minutes.

The main actors of this film are : Morgan Freeman ; Matthew Mc Conaughey; Anthony Hopkins and Djimon Hounsou.

The story takes place in 1839, in the USA. We talk about slaves, who come from SierraLeone with Cinque who is the leader.

They are taken in violent storm. They wanted to come back to Africa, but they were deported in the USA. They'll be judged but they will fight for their freedom.

"Stage coach" by Norman Rockwell

This document is a painting by Norman Rocwell.

In the background, we can see bare mountains and lots of clouds.

In the foreground, we can spot a stagecoach which is attacked by numerous Natives.

The indians are riding horses which are galloping at full speed. The chase takes place in a steep slope.

The Native Americans are attacking the stagecoach with bows, arrows and spears while the men on the stagecoach have got firearms.

Slave auction

Slavery in America

Slavery in America ( 1619 – 1865 )

Slaves lived in overcrowded cabins (huts or little African houses).

 

They ate banana, rice, yams but no decent or proper meals.

Their hygiene was really bad so they were often sick and they died young, because of epidemics.

At the beginning they worked in wheat, sugar canes and tobacco fields.

Once a year, they received clothes and a pair of shoes they had to keep all year round. They didn’t have personal objects.

They began work early and they stopped late. The pregnant women and children aged 10 years old had to work on the same plantations. They experienced moral and physical violence. They were treated like cattle. They couldn’t write nor read.

At the end of day, they were exhausted.

They had problems, for example insufficient food and unsafe water.