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Benjamin Franklin: Man of Many Hats

© Mary M. Alward

Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts, which was a British Colony, on January 17, 1706. He had less than two years of formal education. In spite of this, he wore many hats in his lifetime. He was known as an inventor, statesman, scientist, writer, musician and economist. This week, we're going to focus on his life as a scientist and inventor.

In the 1700s, a scientist was someone who tried to improve the way things worked and to make people's life easier. It is much the same today. We're always looking for an easier way to do things. Ben Franklin was no exception. He asked himself questions and set out to find the answers. He had many questions about electricity and conducted many experiments and did a lot of research on the subject.

Ben often traveled across the Atlantic Ocean. He became interested in ocean currents and temperatures. He was one of the first people to chart the Gulf Stream in detail.

Ben was also interested in the weather. He observed that northeast storms actually formed in the southwest. This fact made him curious. Why do storms travel in the opposite direction of their winds?

To find answers to his questions about weather, Ben rode his horse through a storm and chased a whirlwind. He printed weather forecasts in his almanac. His predictions were very accurate.

Ben invented a number of things. His poor eyesight gave him inspiration. He tired of taking off his reading glasses to put on another pair to see distances. An idea formed in his mind. He had two pair of eyeglass lenses cut in half and inserted into one frame. Bifocals were born. We still use bifocals today.

Ben didn't invent electricity, but he did invent the lightning rod to protect buildings and ships from being hit by lightning. He also invented the Franklin stove, which was much safer than most woodburning stoves. Another of his inventions was the odometer, which measures distance. All vehicles today are equipped with Ben's invention.

Curious thinkers keep Ben's traditions alive by inventing things to make our lives easier and more productive. What would you invent to improve people's lives? Think about it. Many inventors are kids just like you.

If you have an idea for an invention, I would like to hear about it in the Discussion Area. Maybe one day your name will be a household word, just like Ben's.

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