8/7/2019 Ben Franklin Panel (Inventor)

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Tyler Duke

Mrs. Heijl

15 September 2010

Benjamin Franklin Panel: Franklin as Inventor 

Q: What was the Enlightenment? How does Franklin fit into this movement?

1. The Enlightenment was a historical movement that included thinkers and writers,

that thought they were more intelligent and went to spread their knowledge. The

Enlightenment originated in France, until Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin

Franklin carried the thoughts to the colonies. There main target was mainly

religions for example the Catholic Church. People of the Enlightenment believed

in the language of natural law, of inherent freedoms, and of self-determination.

Ben Franklin an Enlightener strived to spread these concepts around the colonies.

Q: Describe the origins of the union fire company. What need did it serve? What method

did it employ?

2. The union fire company was founded in 1738, in the colony of Pennsylvania. The

founder of the union fire company was Benjamin Franklin. It was established to

extinguish fires, and remove and secure goods from the building when on fire.

The equipment they brought with them was about the same as today, except they

also carried leather buckets, strong bags, and baskets to carry goods recovered

from the building. They also had fire department meetings much like today, to

keep track of inventory over ladders, fire hooks, and other useful implements for 

the jobs.

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Q: Franklin says “The test of literary genius is the ability to be fascinating about stoves.”

Do you agree? Defend your response.

3. The stove was a great invention of that time. I think that the test of literary genius is

the ability to be fascinating about stoves. The stove was very important it helped you

keep warm around the house. The stove takes in any air and filters it to warm air. Until

this invention the only way for heat was to burn wood, which is very much a hassle.

Q: What does Franklin mean when he says, “I understand French better by the help of my

spectacles?

4. Franklin created the spectacles to help him see well without adjusting them. “I

understand French better by the help of my spectacles”. This was a quote by

Benjamin Franklin stating that he could see French clearer with his spectacles.

Franklin means with the help of his spectacles he could see well. His spectacles will

not help him learn French; it will just help him see it more clearly.

Q: How did the invention of the lightning rod challenge contemporary views of nature?

5. The invention of the lightning rod was a necessary invention. It saved houses,

barns and other buildings from fires. Many people weren’t sure how to control electricity

at the time. He tested by holding a kite in the air with a key and a wire to attract the

electricity. The electricity was grounded instead of setting fire which saved buildings.