Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was a man of utmost importance in the United States, he was a renowned diplomat , an excellent writer , scientist, and inventor . A man who stood out in the American struggle for the independence of the country. He is known worldwide for his great political , social and even scientific legacy , for his high values ​​as a human being and for his personality.

What did Benjamin Franklin do

Benjamin Franklin was a man who fought for freedom and to defend the rights of all people , he was always against slavery and actively participated in the Declaration of Independence of the United States . In addition, as a scientist, he managed to conduct a number of important experiments , many of which served to improve machines today.

Benjamin Franklin biography

He was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston . As a young man, Benjamin Franklin worked on public projects to benefit society, his projects included the welfare of the people and the population, the welfare of widows and the construction of a University in Pennsylvania . He was also a scientist and attached great importance to electricity . In his work as a journalist, he fought for freedom of the information medium and published the Pennsylvania Gazette .

He was a good businessman , very disciplined and against slavery in the country, he fought for the rights of African Americans and emphasized the equality of people in all aspects of daily life. He opposed the union of the colonies, defended freedom and took advantage of social connections to do business.

Death

He died when he was 84 years old, on April 17, 1790, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He died from complications caused by pleurisy .

Contributions

Among the most important contributions of Benjamin Franklin to the country are the following:

• He helped found the first public library located in Philadelphia during the year 1731.
• He founded the first Philadelphia Fire Department in 1736.
• He was an important part of the team that founded the University of Pennsylvania and the first hospital that existed in the city.
• He traveled to various places in order to improve the United States Postal Service .
• I study electrical phenomena creating the Principle of Conservation of Electricity .
• He was a member of the Philadelphia General Assembly organizing the militia that would defend Pennsylvania.

Benjamin Franklin inventions

Among his most recognized inventions worldwide we find:

• Thanks to his studies in electricity, he invented the lightning rod .
• He determined that there are three different types of charge in bodies, thus establishing the single fluid theory.
• He created the Franklin furnace , better known as the Pennsylvania fireplace.
• Invented bifocals.
• He created a humidifier that was able to increase the level of humidity in a room and by installing it in fireplaces he managed to counteract dry environments.
• He invented a device to measure distances.
• It gave rise to the urinary catheter .
• He designed wooden diving fins .
• He created the theory of the single electric fluid .

Studies

As a child, his father sent him to study at an elementary school because he wanted him to become a preacher. He studied writing and arithmetic at the George Brownell School and was at this institution until he was ten years old. I also study arithmetic and mathematics . After this, Benjamin Franklin kept working with his father and all his knowledge was acquired from reading science books.

Ideology

His ideology of life was based mainly on pragmatism , it was based on the importance of daily living and the virtues that could give human beings happiness . For him, achieving human virtues was of vital importance, saving, initiative to start projects and temperance were necessary attitudes to be able to live a life to the full.

Personality

Benjamin Franklin’s personality was based on temperance , on the silence that was worth gold for him, on order and waiting for the right moment to act. For him it was important to do everything that was proposed, doing good to others was also a fundamental part of his personality. He did not like to waste time on vain things and was always looking for useful things to do. He was a very sincere man , with deep-seated feelings of justice . He was also very moderate , did not like to spend excessively and did not hold a grudge.

Physical characteristics

Many historians agree that he was a man with a strong build , a little thick , with the body of a fighter. He was around 1.80 meters tall and his head was large. His big hands, her blond hair clearly and eyes of a color gray . His upper lip was somewhat pointed and he always spoke quickly.

Parents

Benjamin Franklin’s parents were Josiah Franklin and Abiah Folger . His father arrived in the country in 1682 and worked as a soap and candle manufacturer, while his mother dedicated himself to housework.

Relations

In the year 1729, Benjamin Franklin married Deborah Read.

Sons

His first son was born illegitimately and his name was William , Franklin recognized him already when he was married to Deborah Read . Together with his wife he had two more children, Francis Folger Franklin who died when he was four years old as a result of smallpox and Sarah Franklin .

Importance

Franklin was one of the most important men in the United States for having participated and helped in the cause of the war in search of the independence of his country. He made a series of major trips to London to advocate for Pennsylvania interests. He influenced the drafting of the Declaration of Independence and sought help to continue the campaign against British troops .

He also assisted in the drafting of the United States Constitution and promoted the abolition of slavery . Furthermore, many of his scientific inventions were of utmost importance to humanity.

Acknowledgments

In recognition of his work, the main bridge in the city of Philadelphia is named after him, as does the lunar crater Franklin. In honor of his scientific capacity, a series of annual recognitions are made that take his name to the most recognized scientists. Some of the American bills have his face printed on them in his honor. The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia was named after a science museum where electricity is given special interest.

Benjamin Franklin works

The main works attributed to Benjamin Franklin are the following:

• Dissertation on freedom and necessity , on pleasure and pain, written in 1725.
• Advice for a new merchant published in 1748.
• Experiments and observations on electricity a compilation where he explained his results in electricity studies.
• Observations on the savages in North America .
• Almanac of Ricardo the poor , where he gave advice on the correct action of the citizen.
• A plan to improve the condition of free blacks .

Benjamin Franklin Quotes

Among his most recognized phrases are:

• He who prides himself on his knowledge is as if he were blind in broad daylight.
• Take time to pick a friend, but be even slower to change it.
• Recognized honesty is the surest of oaths.
• Laws that are too benign are seldom obeyed; the too severe, rarely executed.
• Investing in knowledge always yields the best returns.
• Human happiness is generally not achieved with big strokes of luck, which can happen a few times, but with little things that happen every day.

Presence in popular culture

In popular culture , books , novels and even films have been created to publicize all the enormous and important work that Benjamin Franklin did. It has appeared in many Broadway musicals , miniseries, and even cartoons. Her character has had appearances in fictional stories such as Marie Antoinette, La Fayette, a 17th century alchemist novel, and in Lloyds of London.