Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin, one of the most important Americans in history, did scientific work before 1790. He had a large impact on America as well as the rest of the world. Europe played a big part of his career because the influences he felt from Europe help him develop and work in science. Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston in 1706 into a family of ten children and to a soap and candle maker. Although Ben had some formal education, he was primarily self-taught. At the age of ten, he served an apprenticeship for his father before going on to serve as an apprentice for the New England Courant. This is where he first published his works. (DOSB,129) There were both influences from Europe and America I his work. Ben Franklin traveled to Europe many times. He sailed to London on November 5,1724 and arrived in London on December 24,1724. While he was here he visited many people and this would play a large influence on his life. In Europe there were a lot more people with the knowledge and interest that Franklin had and this created more will for Franklin to study science. This is possibly thought to be the spark of his science interest while he was in London. (ANB,383) This was the beginning of many awards in his experiments to come. He was elected to the Royal Society on May 29, 1756. This is probably one of the most influential factors in his work and this is one way that his work was seen by people all over Europe and other parts of the world. Members of the Royal Society had their scientific works published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. (DOSB,129) Some of Franklin’s first works were studying electricity in the 1740’s and this was his most important work that he performed. Much of his work was based upon modifying Newton’s theories of electricity. Two gentlemen influenced him in electricity, Adam Spencer in Boston and Philadelphia and Peter Collinson of London. Some of the first experiments that Franklin did were with three other gentlemen, Philip Syng, Thomas Hopkinson and Ebenezer Kinnersley, in Philadelphia. Franklin discovered here that a point charge would release energy from 6 to 8 inches away and a blunt charge would release at only an inch away. During these experiments, they observed that there was an “electrical fire” and now they would have to go back and explain all other observations of electricity using these concepts.
Gordon S. Wood delves into Benjamin Franklin’s philosophical, political, and personal legacies in the biography, The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin. The book travels through Franklin’s experiments, his travels in Europe, and his role in the American revolution. The book begins when Franklin retires from business and becomes a gentleman. It was when he became a gentleman, it allowed him to analyze the world around him. “Indeed, he could not drink a cup of tea without wondering why the tea leaves at the bottom gathered in way rather than another,” a quote from Edmund S. Morgan’s book, Benjamin Franklin. Franklin spent a great deal of time in Britain before returning to America. When he returned, he threw himself into the American revolution, which sent him to France. After he accomplished his duties in France, he returned back home to America where he ran for public office.
Benjamin Franklin is one of the most profound individuals in American history. He is a Diplomat, Writer, Inventor, a founding father, and holds the title as the “First American.” In 1706 Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony. He is the fifteenth of seventeen children that his father, Josiah Franklin, had. At the age of 8 years old Franklin attended school, here he learned literacy. In spite of his successes in school, he had to drop out at the young age of 10 to assist his father with his business. Franklin did not enjoy working for his father’s business, however he had to work at his father’s shop for about 2 years. Josiah then had Benjamin apprenticed to his little brother, James, who was a printer. James is the founder
Benjamin Franklin is considered one of the greatest thinkers, inventors and leaders throughout American history. This Founding Father of the United States was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 17, 1706 and spent his childhood there until finally moving to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as a teenager. Franklin was a leader in politics and science. Franklin lived for 84 years and passed away in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1790. Although conspiracy theorists may disagree, Franklin was not clearly for or against organized religion during his lifetime. We see this in his autobiography that he wrote at the age of 79.
Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston to father, Josiah Franklin and mother Abiah Folger. Josiah had seven children with his first wife, Anne child, and ten with his second wife, Abiah Folger. Benjamin was his 15th child and youngest son. Ben formally went to school at Boston Latin School and
Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts January 17, 1706. Benjamin Franklin was one of a ton of children. His father's name was Josiah Franklin. He made soap to take care of his family. Benjamin Franklin’s mother’s name was Abiah Folger, she was Josiah's second wife in his life. Josiah was a father and caretaker of 17 children. Benjamin Franklin lived in a large and poor family.
Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston Massachusetts. He was one of seventeen other brothers and sisters. His father, Josiah Franklin, who emigrated from Oxfordshire, England, worked as a soap boiler and tallow chandler. Benjamin’s mother, Abiah Folger, was from Nantucket but her family derived from England as well.
Benjamin Franklin started working on his own version of a fire place in 1741 and was completed and announced in 1742. It was a cast iron fireplace that had tubes running through the house that all lead out the chimney. Building the fire place had many problems to overcome before it could be practical and functional. Franklin had to find a way to stop the smoke from the stove from entering the house while at the same time producing the most heat to the house. Although Franklin is the only one credited with the making of the Franklin stove, Franklin had used others’ researched; most of Franklin’s concept was a combination of the main points of a French scientist’s book written in 1713 and a research by Dutch physician Herman Boerhaave. (Benton)
During the 1740’s, Franklin led many advances in science and entrepreneurship. He invented various types of gadgets from instruments ranging from the armonica, rocking chair, flexible catheter, American penny, to conducting the famous kite-and-key experiment which proved that lightning was electricity. His outstanding research and work in these subjects led his 1743 “A Proposal for Promoting Useful Knowledge” brochure to become the establishing document of the American Philosophical Society which made him easily the richest man in Pennsylvania by the time he was 42 years
Benjamin’s father had hoped that Benjamin would enter into the clergy but he could not afford for his son to go to school for many years. His love of knowledge made him a great reader, so he read everything he could get his hands on. Franklin worked with his father until he was 12. Then is father decided to have Benjamin become an apprentice to his brother James, James was a printer. Benjamin and his brother James composed pamphlets and set type and Benjamin would sell their stuff in the streets.
Benjamin Franklin is considered to be one of the most well-known Founding Fathers, as he helped in writing the Declaration of Independence and the very first Constitution of the United States. Who was he other than a man who fought for colonist’s rights however? Franklin was a brilliant inventor who created many innovating and life changing mechanisms, such as the world’s very first almanac, bifocals, and the lightning rod. He was also a major figure in the American Enlightenment, which restored art, science and music, spreading moral philosophy all across the colonies. Although he was never elected to the role of President of the United States, Franklin served in several other parts, such as the first postmaster general for the colonies in
On January 17, 1706, Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the eighth child of seventeen children. By the time young Mr. Franklin was eight years old he was sent to South Grammar School. The next year he attended George Brownell’s English School, a school for arithmetic and writing. He showed great talent for writing and little for arithmetic. “Young Franklin
Ben Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston. As a young boy he loved to read, but his father only had enough money for one year of school. At the age of 15 he started to work at his brother's newspaper company, The New England Courant, and first became famous for the article under
Benjamin Franklin is known for conducting lots of experiments dealing with electricity. His most famous being the kite experiment. He became fascinated with electricity when he was accidently shocked in 1746. Benjamin wondered if there was a way to protect buildings and the people inside of them from lightning. He thought that this could benefit people in the
Benjamin Franklin, born in January 17, 1706, was one of the founding fathers of the United States; he was a man that only meant well for his country. He once said “they who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety” (Franklin, 1760). That quote is well respected and brings a deep meaning behind it. Benjamin Franklin rather put up a fight and do what he needed to do in order to achieve permanent freedom instead of being a coward and staying off the radar in order to feel safe for the time being. Benjamin Franklin was a very intelligent man; he’s intelligence brought about inventions to
Starting from a young age, Benjamin Franklin was academically more advanced than others which allowed him to be so successful through the printing press from the beginning. Franklin never remembers not being able to read, allowing him to not have to go through as much schooling and being able to start work when he was only twelve years old. (Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography 1) Growing up in a family with little money, not enough for school, Franklin was sent to be an apprentice for his brother’s printing press. (Ben Franklin The Electric Franklin 1) He worked in his brother’s shop for four years, mastering his skill at type-writing and contributing articles that were popular to The New-England Courant. (Benjamin Franklin 1) These articles were anonymously sent because of Franklin’s fear of his brother’s opinion of the ...