Benjamin Franklin

Mary Margaret Johnson

2005

Basic Facts

• Born January 17, 1706.

• One of 17 children.

• Father made soap.

Printing

• Learned printing business at age 12 and apprenticed to his brother, James.

• Famous for printing Poor Richard’s Almanack and The Pennsylvania Gazette.

• Famous for his “Join or Die” political cartoon.

Inventions• Lightning Rod• Catheter• “Long Arm”• Electrical Battery• Bifocals• Franklin Stove• Swim Fins• Odometer

Establishments• Established first fire

company and fire insurance company.

• Helped establish the paper currency that we have today.

• Founded what became the University of Pennsylvania.

Kite Flying Experiment• Conducted

lightning experiment with kite in 1752. When the storm passed over his kite, negative charges went down the kite string.

Kite Flying Experiment continued...

• Kite string had metal key on the end. When Franklin touched the key with his knuckle, he received electric shock.

The Franklin Stove

• The Franklin Stove gave off more heat using less fuel. Ben refused to patent his inventions. He made them for the common man.

The Armonica

• The armonica that he created was smaller than others in 1761. It did not require tuning.

Electricity Experiments

• Could ignite alcohol.

• Could give glasses of wine an electric charge.

Last Years

• Helped draft The Declaration of Independence.

• Became very involved in politics.

Death

• Benjamin Franklin died in 1790. He left $5,000 each to Boston and Philadelphia. His memorial is at the Franklin Institute.

BibliographyThompson, Holland. Benjamin Franklin and Electricity.

2005. About. 2 May 2005. <http://www.inventors.about.com/cs/inventorsalphabet/a/Ben_Franklin_4.htm.>.

“Inventor.” Benjamin Franklin: Glimpses of the Man. 1994. Unisys. 30 May 2005.<http://www.sln.fi.edu/franklin/rotten.html>.

“A Quick Biography of Benjamin Franklin.” The ElectricFranklin. 4 July 1995. Ushistory.org. 29 May 2005. <http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/facts/>.

About Me

• My name is Mary Margaret Johnson and I go to Hanes Middle School. I like to play soccer and go shopping with friends. I also like to play the piano.