Ben Franklin Essays

Benjamin Franklin Essay
Benjamin Franklin–Scientist and Inventor
Benjamin Franklin has influenced American
technology, and indirectly, lifestyles by
using his proficiencies and intelligence to
conduct numerous experiments, arrive at
theories, and produce several inventions.
Franklin's scientific and analytical mind
enabled him to generate many long lasting
achievements which contributed to the
development and refinement of modern
technology.
Few national heroes, including George
Washington and Thomas Jefferson, played a
more significant role in shaping the American
way of life than Franklin. According to
Fowler, "He personified the ideal of the
self–made man, and his rise from obscurity to
eminence exemplified the American...show more content...
He
even distributed detailed plans of some of
his inventions so that anyone could own them.

The Pennsylvania fireplace, sometimes called
the Franklin stove, acquired its name from
Franklin, its inventor. This device, he said,
"made my living room twice as warm as it used
to be with a quarter of the wood I formerly
consumed . . . " (Donovan 55). The heating of
houses was growing more expensive, the wood
was being used extremely inefficiently, and
much of the heat was lost up the chimney.
Franklin's fireplace solved these problems by
using a number of passages and vents so that
the cold air was drawn in from outside the
building, warmed in the air passages, and
then blown into the room. He said "your whole
room is equally warmed, so that the people
need not crowd so close round the fire, but
may sit near the window, and have the benefit
of the light for reading, writing, and
needlework. They may sit with comfort in any
part of the room, which is a very
considerable advantage in a large family,
where there must often be two fires kept,
because all cannot convenientl!
y come at one" (Seeger 166). Several people

considered the fireplace a luxury for the
wealthy.
One of the most important features of
Franklin's fireplace was the flue. Meltzer
points out that the flue spread heat by
circulating it into the room rather than
simply sending it up the
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Ben Franklin Essay
A Universal Man
When one takes a look at the world in which he currently lives, he sees it as being normal since it is
so slow in changing. When an historian looks at the present, he sees the effects of many events and
many profound people. Benjamin Franklin is one of these people. His...show more content...
Which would explain why each colony wanted him to represent them in their convention. In 1750,
Ben Franklin was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly, in which he served until 1764. After that,
he had been postmaster general, a delegate from Pennsylvania to the intercolonial congress, and
even went to France for their help in wars. In 1766 he was sent before the House of Commons
regarding the Stamp Act, Ben was thought to be behind the idea. It was there that testimony
repealed the stamp act. Not only did he rewrite the declaration of independence, but he also drew up
the U.S. constitution. We have Ben Franklin to thank for our independence in what we call America.
Before he was a politician, Ben Franklin was also an inventor. When people think of his
inventions, the first thing that usually comes to mind is electricity. However, he did much more.
For example, in colonial America, most people warmed their homes by building a fire in a
fireplace even though it was kind of dangerous and used a lot of wood. Ben figured that there had
to be a better way. His invention of an iron furnace stove allowed people to warm their homes less
dangerously and with less wood. The furnace stove that he invented is called a Franklin stove.
Interestingly enough, Ben also established the first fire company and the first fire insurance
company in order to help people live more safely. Another great invention was the bifocals. Ben had
poor vision and needed glasses to read.

Ben Franklin Essay
Ben Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was one of the most influential people in American history. Franklin was born
on January 17, 1706, in a small town in Boston. Benjamin was one of ten children. His father,
Josiah was a candle and soap maker, and his mother Abiah Folger was a homemaker. When
Benjamin was only twelve years old he signed his identures so that he could apprentice under his
brother, working at a printing press. Here he worked for his brother James for over nine years.
Benjamin had enormous talent, and after his apprenticeship was up, he got a job printing for the
Boston Gazette. However this did not last very long, after only ten months Franklin's contract was
given to someone else. This prompted Ben to start his own...show more content...
Upon his request a tax was established to provide better watchmen. He also helped organize
volunteer firefighters. Ben also proposed a lottery to help bring money into the city, and he chartered
a university that is name after him today, called the University of Pennsylvania.
Franklin's print shop had made him a wealthy man, and in 1748 the success of the print shop had
allowed Franklin to retire early. Franklin could now use his time to focus on his two other favorite
things: science and politics.
Soon after his retirement Franklin became extremely interested in experimenting with electricity.
Franklin was one of the first people to suggest that lightning was merely naturally occurring
electricity, and that it could be drawn from the clouds. In 1752, Ben Franklin performed his kite
experiment. Here Franklin had his proof of lightning's electrical nature. Franklin wrote specifics on
how the experiment was to be done, it said.
This kite is to be raised when a thunder–gust appears to be coming on, and the person who holds the
string must stand within a door or window, or under some cover, so that the silk ribbon may not be
wet; and care must be taken that the twine does not touch the frame of the door or window. As soon
as any of the thunder–clouds come over the kite, the pointed wire will draw electric fire from them,
and the kite, with all the twine, will be electrified, and the loose filaments of the twine will

Essay about Ben Franklin
Ben Franklin
Ben Franklin is one of the most dynamic figures in the history of America. As a philosopher,
scientist, writer, inventor, diplomat, and more he had far reaching effects on America and the world
both in his time and today. Franklin was one of the first people to recognize himself as "American"
and distinguish the people of the new nation as something more than British colonists. As an
American, Franklin sought to improve the country through the creation of institutions and the
development of personal moral and financial success for its citizens.
GENRE:Autobiography, Personal Narrative
In the first part, Franklin is speaking to his son, describing the past. He talks about his childhood,
family, upbringing, and general...show more content...
In this way, he sees religion not as an abstract or other–worldly social concept but as a function of
society for its utility and usefulness. He does believe in G–d and thanks him for all that he has
received but, similar to Frederick Douglass, is aware of the falsehoods being taught in mainstream
religion. For instance, he describes a local ministers sermons as "their aim seeming to be rather to
make us Presbyterians than good citizens." Although he did not believe in any one religion, he did
feel that they were good for the community and actively supported the Presbyterian minister, Jewish
temples, and other groups.
2.) Industry/Self–Improvement: Franklin often can be seen assuming that any effort will be
successful if the proper amount of hard work is applied to it. He was, however, aware that he had
been very lucky and that few efforts would reach fruition without some effects of luck. It is
interesting to see how at every turn Franklin had some sort of system or method laid out, followed it
step–by–step, and achieved the intended result. Many people today can think of what it would take
to be successful at something (say a sport or skill) but few know so thoroughly the correct path to
take and actually walk down it to its end. We observe this ability even in his childhood. At the time,
these attitudes toward

Benjamin Franklin Thesis
Ben Franklin Ben Franklin was one of the main founding fathers and he was involved in some of
the Revolutionary activity. Ben is the oldest of the men and already established himself as a
prominent figure in American and English society. He is known as "American dream" because of
the many things he has done. Ben was born to a Boston man of little importance or historical
recognition, through hard work and perseverance. He is known as a noble statesman, world
renowned scientist, and industrial titan. On one hand, Franklin was a superior diplomat. He brought
his fame as a scientist and man of letters to the chore of impressing Europeans, who generally
scoffed at Americans as ignorant frontiersman. Franklin's political skill was indispensable

Essay on Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin (An A+ Essays Original Paper, written by WeirdHTML)
Benjamin Franklin was one of the first and most famous scientists in America. He was a man of
many talents and interests. Franklin was always curios about they way things work, and he always
tried to find ways to make them work better. Even though he started out as a published, he was
always interested in science. However this interest soon became a passion to Franklin. He even
retired from his publishing business to work in a laboratory with his mostly homemade equipment.
Throughout his life Benjamin Franklin made many important discoveries and theories which greatly
influenced future scientists and inventors.
Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston Massachusetts, on...show more content...
Franklin realized that if a piece of silk were rubbed against a glass, the glass would have a
positive charge. Other scientists at that time believed that rubbing produced electricity, however
Franklin said that it was just the "electric fluid" being transferred from the silk to the glass. This is
known today as the law of conservation of change and it is one of the basic principles of physics.
Franklin published his theories in a book titled "Experiments and Observations on Electricity
Made at Philadelphia". It became a best seller in Europe as well as in the colonies. The main topic
of this book was Franklin's theory that lightning was electrical energy. This was not a new idea,
but Benjamin Franklin was the first to perform an experiment on it. He said that if a metal rod
was to be placed on top of a tower or a tall building, it would be struck by lightning and hold an
electrical charge. Many scientists in Europe tried this experiment, and some had successful results.
When a French scientist, De Lor, attempted to repeat one of the proposed experiments from the
book a huge crowd of curious people had gathered in Paris to see it.
In 1752 Franklin devised another experiment to test if lighting has an electrical charge. He flied a
kite carrying a pointed wire in a thunderstorm and attempted to test his theory that atmospheric
lightning is an electrical phenomenon similar to the spark produced by an electrical frictional
machine (Bruno 406). To

The Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
In our American history many figures have left their mark, and are remembered still today.
Benjamin Franklin was as famous as any president, but yet never elected to public office. He was
one of the nation's revolutionary founding fathers of all time. Benjamin Franklin was a respected
hero of America of many talents and accomplishments. First of all, Benjamin Franklin was born at
Boston in 1706. He was the tenth sibling in the family. He was the son of a soap and candle maker.
Josiah would father seventeen children in total after having two wives. Franklin had received some
education while young, but would continue learn self–taught (Quick Biography of Benjamin
Franklin.) The boy then would serve working with his father. Franklin went later to work for his
brother James as a printer (Benjamin Franklin His Autobiography 1706–1757.) After helping his
brother making pamphlets and other activities. He then would start to sell the products in the streets.
When Franklin was fifteen the New England Courant was founded. The first newspaper more or less
in Boston. While other news came reprinted from abroad. The New England Courant held articles of
opinions, advertisements, and ship schedules. Benjamin also wanted to write for the paper; yet he
know his brother would not let him (Quick Biography of Benjamin Franklin.) He cleverly began
writing letters and signing them with an alias name. Franklin would submit and leave the letters at
night at the print shop. In

Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was a remarkably talented man. He started his career as a simple printer
apprentice, but went far beyond the printers shop. He developed products that were far beyond the
time. The Franklin stove for example, for cold winter nights and bifocal lenses for reading.
Franklin tracked storm paths to help understand the wicked weather endured by the colonies. His
study of electricity made him most famous for he was known around the world as the inventor of
the lightning rod. Not only was Ben Franklin helpful in developing ideas for better living, he was
also a strong force in developing the new nation of America. Benjamin Franklin's political views
showed him to be a man who...show more content...
Franklin proposed self–government for the
American colonies. Historically, Ben Franklin was in favor of self–government.
In fact, nearly forty years of service as a public official began when Franklin was elected for the
Pennsylvania Assembly. At first, he wanted to get support for various civic causes but soon partisan
politics held his undivided attention.
Further, as the legislature strategist and writer for the weakly formed Quaker party, "he
defended the powers of the elected representatives of the people.
Franklin thus the virtues of self–government a generation before the Declaration of
Independence." (Ketcham, page 3).
Further, Benjamin Franklin's political views with regard to various
British taxation upon the colonists show him leaning away from Britain. The
Townshend Acts, Stamp Act, and other taxes and duties on colonial goods were opposed by
Franklin. He wrote in connection with the American Stamp Acts, "The
Sovereignty of the British Legislature out of Britain, I do not understand."
(Wright, page 207). Franklin felt that the colonies were capable of writing their own legislation.
The colonies had their own parliaments and Franklin was confidant that these assemblies could
properly legislate for the colony. In one of Franklin's letters he writes that possibly an extreme case
would be best. "
Either Parliament could make all the laws for the colonies on it could make none,

Susanna Dey
19 November 2011
Benjamin Franklin
Say the name Benjamin Franklin and you may picture a chubby man with spectacles holding a kite
during a lightening storm. Perhaps you picture him a older man with spectacles propped up on his
nose standing in a great room full of distinguished gentlemen signing the Declaration of
Independence. Both of these facts about Benjamin Franklin's life would be true. However, there was
so much more to Mr. Franklin. He was a diplomat, a statesman, a scientist, and a writer. His
contributions to our society were more than just to America but to the world. For the purpose of this
paper we will just discuss the inventions he produced which had a world impact. (Fish 2).
Ben Franklin was...show more content...
This ingenious invention helped avert a natural disaster from occurring. Many people's lives
changed once lightening rods appeared on church steeples and tall buildings. It gave them a large
sense of security. Prior to the installation of these lightening rods the homes, towns and cities were
at high risk for burning due to lighting strikes. It was unfortunately a common event. One fire could
bring down half a town and cost many lives. Thanks to Mr. Franklin, fires caused by lightning
strikes were averted. The lightening rod was placed on buildings, homes and even boats (Morgan
13). His invention actually saved lives of people and saved an unmeasurable amount of money.
Franklin's design of the lightening rod remains the basis of modern lightening codes up to today.
Sometime in 1784 Benjamin Franklin was traveling from one location to another. He loved to read
while he was traveling. One day he noticed that he was quite inconvenienced every time he had to
switch from his reading glasses to his other glasses and every time he wanted looked up at the
scenery outside the window (Isaacson 426). He then decided to see his optician. He told his
optician to cut out a half section of glass from his eyeglasses he used to see in the distance and
then to cut a half section from his eyeglasses to see close up. He then combined the two half lenses
together in one eyeglass. He wanted the farsighted section to be on top

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