ClassX Video Lessons Who Is Benjamin Franklin? | Learn about the life and accomplishments of Ben Franklin
Have you ever wondered what happens when you mix a kite, a key, and a thunderstorm? If you were Benjamin Franklin, you would discover the secrets of lightning and electricity! Let’s dive into the fascinating life of Benjamin Franklin, a brilliant inventor, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1706. He was the 15th child in a family of 17 children! Benjamin stopped going to school when he was just 10 years old, but he never stopped learning. At 12, he became an apprentice to his brother, who was a printer, and he wanted to learn the trade too.
Here’s a fun fact: Benjamin’s brother published a newspaper called the “Current.” As a teenager, Benjamin secretly wrote letters about current events and submitted them under the name “Mrs. Silence Dogood.” At 17, he ran away to Philadelphia, and by 23, he was running his own newspaper, the “Pennsylvania Gazette,” which became very popular.
Benjamin Franklin was the first to use maps and publish cartoons in newspapers. In 1732, he started “Poor Richard’s Almanac,” a newspaper filled with weather reports, recipes, and wise sayings called aphorisms. Have you heard “A penny saved is a penny earned”? That’s one of his sayings!
Benjamin Franklin was a key figure in the founding of the United States. He helped draft the Declaration of Independence and signed four important documents that shaped the nation. He also served as an ambassador to France, convincing them to support America in its fight for independence.
Benjamin Franklin was an amazing inventor. Remember the kite and key experiment? During a thunderstorm, he flew a kite with a metal key attached to learn about electricity. He discovered that lightning carries an electrical charge!
He also invented bifocal glasses, swim fins, the Franklin stove, and even the first medical catheter. He started the first public library in the U.S., the first fire station in Pennsylvania, and helped organize the postal system. He also founded a hospital and a school that became the University of Pennsylvania.
Benjamin Franklin passed away in 1790 at the age of 84. He left behind a legacy of innovation and leadership. Next time you see a $100 bill, look closely—you’ll see Benjamin Franklin’s face!
True or False: Benjamin Franklin was the only person to sign all four major documents involved in the creation of the United States. (True)
Fill in the blank: One of Franklin’s famous aphorisms is “A ___ saved is a penny earned.” (Penny)
Benjamin Franklin was a diplomat to which European country? (France)
Great job! Benjamin Franklin was an incredible person who made a huge impact on the world. We hope you enjoyed learning about him!
Electricity Experiment: Just like Benjamin Franklin’s kite experiment, let’s explore static electricity! Gather some balloons and a wool sweater. Rub the balloon on the sweater and then try sticking it to a wall or attracting small pieces of paper. Discuss with your friends or family what you observe. Why do you think the balloon sticks to the wall?
Create Your Own Aphorism: Benjamin Franklin was known for his wise sayings. Think of something wise or funny that you believe in and create your own aphorism. Write it down and decorate it with drawings. Share it with your classmates and see if they can come up with their own too!
Map Your Day: Benjamin Franklin was the first to use maps in newspapers. Create a simple map of your neighborhood or a place you visit often. Include important landmarks like your school, a park, or your favorite store. Share your map with your family and explain why you chose those landmarks.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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Who is Benjamin Franklin? What do you get when you mix a kite and a key with a thunderstorm? Well, if you were inventor and Founding Father Benjamin Franklin, you would have learned more about the nature of lightning and electricity. Right now, we are going to learn more about Benjamin Franklin and his life as a person, a politician, and an inventor.
Let’s begin. Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1706. He was the 15th child of 17 children. Benjamin stopped going to school when he was 10 years old but spent the rest of his life learning on his own. By the age of 12, Benjamin was an apprentice to his brother, who was a printer. He wanted to learn how to be a printer too.
Here is an interesting fact: Benjamin’s brother printed a newspaper called the “Current,” and as a teenager, Benjamin secretly wrote letters about current events that he submitted to the newspaper under the pseudonym of “Mrs. Silence Dogood.” At age 17, Benjamin ran away to Philadelphia, and by age 23, he was running his own newspaper called the “Pennsylvania Gazette.” This newspaper became one of the most successful newspapers in the 13 colonies.
Another interesting fact: Benjamin Franklin was the first person to use maps and publish editorial cartoons in a newspaper. In 1730, he established a common law marriage with Deborah Reed, and they had three children: William, Francis, and Sarah. In 1732, Benjamin started publishing “Poor Richard’s Almanac,” another newspaper that shared weather reports, recipes, predictions, and memorable sayings called aphorisms.
Have you ever heard the saying, “A penny saved is a penny earned”? What about “Actions speak louder than words”? Those are both examples of aphorisms. Benjamin published the newspaper for 25 years before retiring from publishing.
Benjamin Franklin was also one of the United States’ Founding Fathers and was one of the five men involved in drafting the Declaration of Independence. He was also Philadelphia’s representative to the Second Continental Congress. Here is an interesting fact: Benjamin Franklin is the only American who signed all four major documents involved in the founding of the United States. These documents are the Declaration of Independence, a treaty of alliance with France, the Treaty of Paris, and the Constitution of the United States.
He was also an ambassador and diplomat to France for the colonies and convinced the French to aid them in their quest for independence from Great Britain. Even though he was in his 70s, he became something of a fashion icon in France, with women in Paris copying his hats using oversized wigs.
But that is not all; Benjamin Franklin was also an inventor. Remember when we mentioned Benjamin Franklin’s electricity experiment? Here is how it worked: during a thunderstorm, Benjamin made a simple kite and attached a wire to the top of it to act as a lightning rod. He attached a hemp string to the bottom of the kite and a silk string to the hemp string. Benjamin used two types of string for a very specific reason: he hoped that the hemp string, once it got wet from the rain, would conduct an electrical charge, while the silk string would be kept dry as it was held by Benjamin, sheltered from the rain.
Last but not least was the metal key he attached to the hemp string and then got the kite up into the air. Once the kite was in the air, he watched the string and noticed that the loose fibers of the hemp string were stiff and standing straight out. When Benjamin moved his finger near the key, he felt a spark. From this result, he realized that lightning carries an electrical charge.
As an inventor, Benjamin Franklin invented bifocal lenses for glasses, swim fins, the Franklin stove, the odometer, the library ladder, the glass harmonica, and the first medical catheter. Other accomplishments include starting the first public library in the U.S., the first fire station in Pennsylvania, and reorganizing the American postal system during his time as the head of the post office. Benjamin also founded a city hospital and a school that later became the University of Pennsylvania. He was also the first person to propose daylight saving time.
Benjamin Franklin died in 1790 at the age of 84. Wow, talk about an interesting life!
Let’s see what you remember about Benjamin Franklin. True or false: Benjamin Franklin was the only person to sign all four major documents involved in the creation of the United States of America. True. Fill in the blank: one of Franklin’s famous aphorisms is “A ___ saved is a penny earned.” (Penny) Benjamin Franklin was a diplomat to which European country? (France)
Great job! Even though he lived a long time ago, Benjamin Franklin was and is one of the most famous Founding Fathers of the United States and was an important inventor and diplomat. The next time you see a $100 bill, take a closer look; you might just find Benjamin Franklin’s picture looking back at you.
Hope you had fun learning with us! Visit us at learnbrite.org for thousands of free resources and turnkey solutions for teachers and homeschoolers. Thank you!
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This version removes any unnecessary filler words and maintains a clear and informative tone.
