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Benjamin Franklin is known by many as a founding father of America, a philosopher, a scientist and a writer. Throughout his glorious lifetime, Franklin made many contributions to humanity, but his most famous is still that of lightening and its connection to electricity. The story of Benjamin flying a kite in a thunderstorm has been told many times all over the world, but there was more to this man than a kite and a key.
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Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 to his father, Josiah Franklin and his mother, Abiah Folger. Franklin was the 10th son in a very large family of 15. Between the ages of 8 and 10, Benjamin, like many other children was taken out of school to be taught in his family’s business. Benjamin’s brother, James apprenticed him in the printing press. During his apprenticeship, though, Franklin decided to expand his education to other topics rather than simply printing. During this time, Benjamin read many books including Pilgrims Progress, Parallel Lives, Essay on Projects, Essays to do Good, and Spectator. Franklin and his brother also published a newspaper. By day, Benjamin delivered the paper, and by night, he wrote articles for the same paper.
Due to disagreements with James, Benjamin decided to move to Philadelphia. The move took place in October of 1723. While in Philadelphia, Franklin became friends with the provincial governor of Pennsylvania, Sir William Keith. Keith persuaded Benjamin to go to London to finish his training as a printer so he could support himself. Taking the governor’s advice, Franklin left for London.
While in London, Benjamin ran into problems and found himself alone in a strange, new city. Franklin needed to support himself, so he was left to his cunning to find a way. Finally, Benjamin found a poorly published newspaper he could edit. The paper soon became very popular due to his skilled writing and editing techniques.
In October of 1726, Franklin returned to Philadelphia with aspirations to become a printer. Benjamin was very successful and his name grew in popularity among distinguished writers. With his spare time, Benjamin assembled a discussion group called Junto. This group would later become known as the American Philosophical Society. Franklin was also married to Deborah Reed.
In 1774, after completing many other projects like the Franklin stove, Poor Richards Almanac, and many other inventions, Franklin began to experiment with electricity. During his stay in England, Benjamin met a scientist by the name of Peter Collinson. This scientist gave Franklin an apparatus used with electricity. Benjamin supported the theory that lightening is an electrical phenomena and he designed his famous experiment to prove this fact. In 1752, during a dangerous electrical storm, Franklin flew a kite with a metal key at the bottom of the string. A bolt of lightening hit the kite, and a spark of electricity flew from the key. Franklin’s theory was proven.
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Benjamin Franklin invented many electrical apparati including the lightening rod. Franklin was also accredited with the “one fluid” theory stating that electricity is of two kinds, positive and negative. Although Franklin will be remembered mostly as a statesman, we must not forget his contributions to the field of electronics with his famously dangerous kite and key.
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 Justin from Canada contributed:
The Kite and key was such a dangerous experiement that many others were electricuted trying to reproduce it. Read in depth about this in National Geographic's Milestones of Science.
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Tom from United States contributed:
Benjamin Franklin also invented other things.
For instance, he invented the Urinary Catheter because his brother was having bladder problems. He also invented a stove thatcould heat up a whole room evenly. There are other things too, but I can't remember them at the moment.
Also, at the signing, of the Constitution, Franklin had horrible arthritis. It was so bad, he had to be carried into and out of the courthouse where it was signed.
Ben's idea for the National Bird was the turkey. He felt it was more important to our country than the Bald Eagle.
Franklin didn't really agree with the U.S. seperating from Britain. He thought we would be better off as part of England. But eventually he changed his mind once the constitution had been signed.
there ya go.
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Lonnie Legg from Germany contributed:
Hello
Would you like to see your Web work showcased in the international youth
magazine "Spot on"*?
I found your "Energy Planet" web site through a link from thinkquest.org.
Each month, in our "Projects online" column, a young person presents
his/her web project in his/her own words. I have a free slot in the
coming issue.
Interested? Then e-mail me ASAP at l.legg@spotlight-verlag.com
(NOT at the above address!).
I'll send you details on what I need for the presentation.
Best regards,
Lonnie Legg
Editor / Spot on
*"Spot on" is a monthly English-language magazine based in Munich,
Germany. Our readers are 12 to 16-year-old Germans, Austrians and Swiss
interested in improving their English. (To find out more about "Spot
on", go to www.spoton.de.) In our "Web World" column, we regularly
feature web projects by and for teenagers.
Tel: +49 (89) 85 68 13 12
Fax: +49 (89) 85 68 13 20
Spotlight Verlag
Redaktion "SPOT ON"
Fraunhoferstr. 22
D-82152, Planegg, Germany
http://www.spoton.de
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Victor Campos from Chile contributed:
I would like to help you with the translations. I am not an expert or something like that but if you like I can correct or modify what you have to give sense on your texts like this:
Albert Einstein nació en Ulm, Alemania la 14 de marzo de 1879. Cinco años más tarde, en 1884, él y su familia se trasladaron a Munich debido al nuevo trabajo de su padre. En 1901 lo naturalizaban como ciudadano suizo. Ocho años más tarde cuando Einstein era suizo a el le agradó el trabajo de su profesor de física teórica en la universidad de Zurich. A partir la 1911 a 1912 él tenía el mismo trabajo que un profesor en Praga. En 1913 lo eligieron para formar parte de la academia de ciencia en Berlín. Einstein recibió el reconocimiento de su pais natal Alemania obteniendo así la nacionalidad alemana en 1914. Él trabajó por 19 años como profesor en Berlín. A partir la 1920 a 1946 Él podía - oficialmente - ser profesor especial en Leiden, Holanda, también, pero debido a su emigración, él no trabajó para la universidad durante mucho tiempo antes de 1946. Debido al movimiento NAZI, Einstein renunció la ciudadanía alemana en 1933. Él se trasladó a los Estados Unidos y trabajó como profesor en Princeton, New Jersey hasta 1945. Él se hizo oficialmente americano en 1941. Albert Einstein murió el 18 de abril de 1955.
VCC
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"Franklin, Benjamin"
Encarta Encyclopedia, 1997
"Franklin, Benjamin"
World Book Encyclopedia, 1970
Bibliography
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 | Benjamin Franklin.
Copyright © Lucidcafe. Permission obtained on August 13th 2000, by Email message. |
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