Who is Benjamin Franklin?

Question

when was he born? where was he born at? how did he create electricity?

Answer 1

In the early 1750's he turned to the study of electricity. His observations, including his kite experiment which verified the nature of electricity and lightning brought Franklin international fame.

Have you ever watched lightning during a storm? Have you ever wondered about its power? Have you ever wanted to know more about it? Ben Franklin did. Actually, Ben's interest in electricity was not just limited to lightning. He received an electricity tube from his friend Peter Collinson and began to play around with it, performing experiments. However, it is Ben's interest in lightning that we best remember.


Ben suspected that lightning was an electrical current in nature, and he wanted to see if he was right. One way to test his idea would be to see if the lightning would pass through metal. He decided to use a metal key and looked around for a way to get the key up near the lightning. As you probably already know, he used a child's toy, a kite, to prove that lightning is really a stream of electrified air, known today as plasma. His famous stormy kite flight in June of 1752 led him to develop many of the terms that we still use today when we talk about electricity: battery, conductor, condenser, charge, discharge, uncharged, negative, minus, plus, electric shock, and electrician.

Ben understood that lightning was very powerful, and he also knew that it was dangerous. That's why he also figured out a way to protect people, buildings, and ships from it, the lightning rod.

Have you ever heard of Ben's lightning bells? Ben was always looking for new ideas about electricity, since it was one of his favorite pastimes.

Although electricity was just a hobby for Ben Franklin, he made many important contributions. Later scientists, like Michael Faraday and Thomas A. Edison, continued to study electricity using many of Ben's ideas. Even today, scientists are still studying electricity and learning more about it. They've learned that all citizens need to practice good safety habits, since electricity can be very dangerous. Ben Franklin would be amazed at how important his stormy kite flight really was!







In Puritan times, to be born on a Sunday was interpreted as a sign of great sin. Puritans believed that children born on the Sabbath Day were conceived on this sacred day. Sexual intercourse on Sundays was a sacrilege in this austere society. As a result, Benjamin Franklin's birth on Sunday, January 6, 1706, had the potential to cause the young Franklin ignominious shame for life. To remove suspicion and eschew the scandal of having a "child of the Devil", Josiah, Benjamin's father, had Franklin quickly baptized on the same day of his birth.

During Benjamin's childhood, he could remember a time when there were thirteen siblings at the dinner table. In fact, the difference in years between Josiah Franklin's eldest and youngest children was an entire generation.

As a young lad, Benjamin Franklin wrote his name in a fancy manner. However, once a venerable old man saw the pompous signature and replied, "What fool's name is this?" After that incident, Benjamin autographed in a plain and efficient style.

Having already seen one son leave to serve on a ship, Josiah sought to discourage Benjamin's inclination for the sea, getting him apprenticed to his brother instead.

Inspired by his namesake uncle Benjamin, young Ben composed historical ballads (one was about the pirate Blackbeard) that were printed by his brother James in his fledgling print shop. The poems sold well.

Benjamin attributed his love of independence to the many years he spent as an apprentice to his autocratic brother James. Franklin wrote that his brother's "harsh and tyrannical treatment of me might be a means of impressing me with that aversion to arbitrary power that has stuck to me through my whole life."

When Benjamin was sixteen, he experimented with vegetarianism in order to save money to buy more books.

When Benjamin Franklin first arrived in Philadelphia, he had nothing but a Dutch shilling and three cents to his name. In many respects, he had severed his ties with his family back in Boston.

While working in a print shop during his first voyage to England, Franklin consumed large amounts of water, even though his European counterparts primarily drank beer. Thus, Franklin earned the nickname, "Water American."

During the American Revolution, Benjamin's own illegitimate son, William, refused to join the patriotic rebellion against royal authority. The elder Franklin had in fact used his influence to make his son royal governor of New Jersey in 1767. However, William was unwilling to repay his father's generosity. "Nothing ever affected me with such keen sensations," Benjamin later wrote.

At the age of 70, Benjamin Franklin was the oldest delegate to sign the Declaration of Independence on July 2, 1776.

John Paul Jones, who became the premier American naval hero by raiding British merchant and military ships, named his vessel Bonhomme Richard -- French for "Poor Richard" -- in honor of Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack.

Jean Antoine Houdon, the legendary French sculptor, created a bust of Benjamin Franklin in 1778. The sculpture was so realistic and won such acclaim that Benjamin invited Houdon to come to the United States and execute a similar bust of George Washington.

At the Constitutional Convention, Franklin, by now 81, was once again the most senior delegate. In fact, the wise Philadelphian, suffering from so many ailments, was often transported to the meetings by means of a sedan chair, the burden of which was supported by the sturdy shoulders of four convicts.

Answer 2

Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston. He didn't create electricity but only found a way to harness it with the lightning rod.

Answer 3

Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts. His father Josiah has 17 children. Her mother is Abiah Folger, the 2nd wife of his father.
In 1744, he invented the Franklin stove, provided more heat, consuming less fuel.
In 1752, he started experimenting with electicity, He invented a lightning rod, which keeps lightning from striking buildings. His inventions became popular not only in US but also in Europe.

Answer 4

Benjamin Franklin was a Printer, Publisher, Inventor Politician (Ambassador to France) and, Declaration of Independence signor.

Answer 5

He was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts and died on April 17, 1790. You can find pretty much all you'd need to know at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin#Inventions_and_scientific_inquiries. Good luck!

Answer 6

I am Benjamin Franklin, How did you hear about me?

Answer 7

He was a signer of The Decleration of Independence.

Answer 8

He's the guy on the $100 bill.

Answer 9

he invented the light bulb and discover electricity

Answer 10

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin