Benjamin Franklin: Renaissance Man of America

Benjamin Franklin was an inventor, scientist, writer, statesman, printer, musician, philosopher, and much much more. Benjamin Franklin is best known as an inventor and scientist, however. In 1752, he conducted (no pun intended) a kite experiment. Ben was also one of America’s founding fathers. He helped draft the Declaration of Independance and the United States Constitution. He also negotiated the Treaty of Paris which concluded the Revolutionary War. Even at a young age, Benjamin Franklin was very bright. He wrote newspaper essays making fun of Boston society and they became very popular. He seemed to like to read and write and being a Puritan, was very religious by association. His parents wanted him to become a minister, but he didn’t

He invented swim fins to increase his speed in the water. He invented these when he was only eleven! He made his fins about eleven inches tall and six inches wide. He put a hole for his thumb on the board too. “When I was a boy, I made two oval [palettes] each about 10 inches long and six broad, with a hole for the thumb in order to retain it fast in the palm of my hand. They much resembled a painter’s [palettes]. In swimming, I pushed the edges of these forward and I struck the water with their flat surfaces as I drew them back. I remember I swam faster by means of these [palettes], but they fatigued my wrists.” 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

However, this rumor is false. He was on of the seven founding fathers, however. He helped write the rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, and because of it we are free from Britain today.

A part in Benjamin Franklin’s life that made him so successful was his self discipline. After all, he taught himself four languages. Not including English, he could read Latin, French, Spanish, and Italian. Benjamin Franklin discovered the Gulf Stream on his way back from London in 1775. He wondered why westbound trips always took longer. He measured the ocean’s temperature to find out that if the Gulf Stream was taken, 2 weeks would be taken off of the sailing time. Benjamin Franklin was self educated. Because of this, he earned honorary degrees from Harvard, Yale, Oxford University, and University of St. Andrews. In 1749 he wrote a pamphlet concerning the education of youth in Pennsylvania. That is how the University of Pennsylvania was established. In 1732 Benjamin Franklin wrote the first Poor Richard's Almanac. This was a book that had weather forecasts, astronomical information, poetry, proverbs, and Franklin's witty maxims. It was published annually. He published it for 25 consecutive