Caitlin McCabe
2005
Early Life
• Born in
Massachusetts on
January 17, 1706
• From 1716 to
1718 he worked
with his father as
a chandler
making candles
and soap
Early Life (cont.)
• When he was 15
years old he was an
apprentice printer for
his brother at The
New England
Courant, the first
newspaper in Boston
• Around 18 he ran
away to
Pennsylvania
Early Life (cont.)
• There he married
Deborah Reid in
the year of 1730
• In Pennsylvania,
after working as an
apprentice printer,
he opened up his
own printing shop
Later in life...
• In 1729, Franklin
bought a newspaper, The
Pennsylvania Gazette
• In 1733 he started
publishing Poor
Richard’s
Almanac,many of his
famous quotes were in
this book
• Was the most famous
American of his day
Later in life... (cont.)
• In 1753 he is given the
Copely Medal of the
Royal Society of
London for
contributions to science
• In 1776 he signed the
Declaration of
Independence as a
delegate from
Pennsylvania
Later in Life… (cont.)
• In 1782 he negotiated a
Treaty of Peace with
England
• In 1753 he is given the
Copely Medal of the
Royal Society of London
for his contributions to
science
• Died in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania on April
17, 1790
Inventions
• Did not patent
inventions, he
wanted them to
be for free use to
the public
• Turned results
into practical
inventions
The Bifocals
• Invented the bifocals
(glasses that let you
see near and far at the
same time)
• Did this by cutting
two spectacles in half
and putting the lenses
in frames
The Lightning Rod
• Invented the
lightning rod
• Helped ships
and buildings
not have
lightning
damage
The Long Arm
• Invented the long arm
• Helped him to reach
high spaces as he got
older
• Made of a wooden
pole that had a claw
attached to the end
that helped grasp
things
The Odometer
• Invented the
odometer
(ways to keep
track of
distance)
The Glass Armonica
• Glass Armonica is a
Musical Instrument
• Was a musician himselfhe played the violin,
harp, and guitar
• Played by touching edge
of a spinning glass with
dampened fingers
• Mozart and Beethoven
used this instrument
Franklin Stove
• Franklin stove was
developed around
1740
• Also called the
“Pennsylvania
Fireplace”
• Equipped the stove
with a flue (heat
channel) which heats
air around it
Franklin Stove (cont.)
• Made room
twice as warm
than other
stoves
• Used only 25%
of usual
amounts of
wood
Other Small Inventions
• Invented Swim Fins
• Credited for Rocking
Chair
• Age 46- Invented bells
called ‘Lightning
Bells’ which would
jingle when there was
lightning in air
Electricity and Kite
Experiment
• Started studying
electricity in 1750
• Kite experiment was
one of his observations
• Did a lightning test in
which he tested the
idea that lightning
would pass through
metal
Electricity and The Kite
Experiment (cont.)
• Did this by using a
key
• To get the key up near
the lightning he used a
kite
• Lightning is a stream
of electrified air (or
plasma)
Electricity and The Kite
Experiment (cont.)
• Suspected lightning was an
electric current in nature
• Kite flight took place on June
of 1752
• Kite flight led him to develop
terms about electricity such
as: battery, charge, condenser,
electrician, and many more
Politics
• In the 1750’s he
became interested
in politics
• In 1765 he
testified to
Parliament against
the stamp act
Politics (cont.)
• Franklin was elected to
the Second Continental
Congress
• At the Second
Continental Congress he
worked on the
Declaration of
Independence
• In 1778 France signed a
Treaty of Alliance with
the U.S.
Politics (cont.)
• In 1789 he wrote
an anti-slavery
treaty
• Mid 1780’sbecame president
of the Executive
Council of
Pennsylvania
Politics (cont.)
• Was a delegate of
the Constitution
Convention and he
signed the
Constitution
• Was one of our
‘Founding
Fathers’
Politics (cont.)
• Only person that signed all 4
documents which created the
United States: The
Declaration of Independence
(1776)/ The Treaty of
Alliance, Amity and
Commerce with France
(1778)/ Treaty of Peace
between England, France,
and the U.S. (1782)/ The
Constitution (1787)
The Political Cartoon
• Was the first political
cartoon designed by
Benjamin Franklin
urged colonies to join
together during war
(French and Indian
War and the Seven
Years’ War)
• Represents 13
colonies
Weatherman
• Was also a weatherman
• Printed weather
forecasts in his almanac
• Noticed that northeast
storms begin in the
southwest and travel in
opposite directions from
their winds
Establishments
• Established
first fire
company
• Established
first fire
insurance
company
Establishments (cont.)
• Established and
improved these
places: mutual
insurance companies,
volunteer fire
departments,
hospitals, libraries,
agricultural colleges,
intellectual societies
Establishments (cont.)
• In 1731 he launched
the Library
Company, this was
the nations first
subscription library
• In 1743 he
established the
American
Philosophical
Society
Establishments (cont.)
• Put together the
Pennsylvania
Hospital
• The hospital,
library company,
and Philosophical
society are still in
existence
Establishments (cont.)
• In 1736 he helped
organize
Philadelphia's Union
Fire company
• In 1752 he helped
establish the
Philadelphia
Contribution for
Insurance Against
Loss by Fire
Postmaster
• Most notable
service in
domestic politics
was reform of the
postal system
• Appointed
postmaster in
1737
Shipbuilding and Sailing
• One of the very
first people to
chart the Gulf
Stream
• Was interested
in ocean
currents and
shipbuilding
Shipbuilding and
Sailing (cont.)
• Suggested the
Chinese model of
dividing ships’
holdings in water
compartments so if
one part leaked, it
would not spread
and sink the rest of
the ship
Flight
• Was very
interested in the
idea of flight
• Predicted balloons
would be used for
military spy
flights and bomb
droppings in wars
Currency System
• Honor his
contribution to
economy by putting
his face on the 100
dollar bill
• Used printing skills
to print paper
money (helped
establish system in
America)
Currency System (cont.)
• Believed the only true
way to wealth was
through hard work- this
became the soul of the
“American Dream”
• The “American Dream”
is that all people are
created equal and have
the same opportunity at
success.
Quotes
• Some famous
quotes include:
“Well done is better
than well said” and
“An ounce of
prevention is worth
a pound of cure”.
• Was called “the
harmonious human
multitude”
Quotes (cont.)
• Thomas
Jefferson called
him “The
greatest man and
ornament of the
age and country
in which he
lived”.
Known for….
• Was famous for being
a scientist, inventor,
statesmen, printer,
philosopher,
musician, economist
diplomat,
businessmen,
humorist, civic leader,
international celebrity,
and a genius
• Hey! My name is Caitlin
McCabe and I am in the
7th grade at Hanes
Middle School! I swim,
play volleyball, and play
soccer. My favorite sport
is soccer! I play on a
classic team for the ‘92
Lady Twins White! We
are awesome! I also play
the flute in the band! I
have a brother and a black
lab named Teddy! I also
love chocolate!
Bibliography
• Houston, James H. “Franklin, Benjamin.” World Book
Online Reference Center. 2005. World Book, Inc. 2
May 2005.
<worldbookonline.com/wb/Article?id=ar209260>.
• Streissguth, Tom. Benjamin Franklin. Minneapolis:
Lerner Publishing Company, 2005.
• “Benjamin Franklin: Glimpses of the Man.” 1994. The
Franklin Institute Science Museum. 2 May 2005.
<sln.fi.edu/franklin/rotten.html>.
• “The Electric Ben Franklin.” USHistory.org. 4 July 1995.
Independence Hall Association. 1 May 2005.
<www.ushistory.org/franklin/>.