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Exploring Electrical Technology

Exploring Electrical Technology. Benjamin Franklin. Background of life (1706-1790) . Family Large (10 th son and 15 child) Poor (father made candles & soap) Education Quit during 1 st year (unable to pay tuition) Helped for awhile in his father’s shop

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Exploring Electrical Technology

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  1. Exploring Electrical Technology Benjamin Franklin

  2. Background of life (1706-1790) • Family • Large (10th son and 15 child) • Poor (father made candles & soap) • Education • Quit during 1st year (unable to pay tuition) • Helped for awhile in his father’s shop • Devoured books generally, but especially on • Science • Philosophy

  3. Ben Franklin’s Education • Capitalized on his love of books • Became a book dealer • Established 1st public library in Philly • Developed his literary skills • Wrote much of a newspaper • Published himself • Under the pseudonym Silence Dogood • Published Poor Richard’s Almanac

  4. Franklin’s Business Experience • Began at age 17 (1723) • Became a journeyman printer • Gained responsibility quickly • After 6 years • Entered a partnership • Worked on press & newspaper of Pennsylvania Gazette

  5. Franklin’s Business Experience • Eventually owned a shop that sold • Stationary, books and writing supplies • Food & medicine • Cloth & stoves • Successful • Retired at age 42 (1748) • Then had time to write an autobiography

  6. Some of the Many Benefits Franklin First Left to Society • Book Borrowing: Began 1st subscription library • Foreign Pub.: 1st German language news • Rhetoric: 1st debating club (Junto) • Education: Organized 1st college • Philadelphia Academy in 1749 • Later University of Pennsylvania • Daily life • Proposed daylight savings time • Laid plans for lighting streets of PA

  7. Ben Franklin’s Travels • Often took him across the ocean from America to • England • France • Holland • Distinguished him from early Americans • International perspective • Social contacts

  8. Franklin as Scientist & Inventor • Career with Electricity (began ~1745) • Preceded retirement from business at age 40 • Grew despite lack of spec. training in science • Aided by his inventive spirit • Included experiments, thinking & writing • Ended abruptly in 1754 after ~9 years • Became postmaster general of American colonies • Travel commitments continued to keep his atten.

  9. Franklin as Public Servant • As a PA representative, sent to • Albany, NY (1754): resolve French & Indian wars • England (1757): to request taxes due • While in England • His reputation preceded him • Statesmanship not always successful • Esp. enjoyed Scotland, but toured continent • Returned to PA in 1762

  10. Franklin Gains Prestige • During travels in Europe • Received an honorary doctorate • From St. Andrews of Edinborough, Scotland • Making him officially Dr. Franklin • Met van Musschenbroek in Holland • Propelled him over 28 years (1757-1785) • 24 of these years spent overseas • In France, his scientific reputation helped make him an excellent ambassador

  11. Closer Look: Franklin’s Consultations & Contributions • 1st introduction to electricity • 1743 in Boston • Via lecture and demonstration by Spencer • Before his retirement from business • Received a glass tube like Hawksbee’s • Knew of the Leiden jar

  12. Closer Look: Franklin’s Consultations & Contributions • Collinson: assisted Franklin • A friend and agent • Received correspondence in London • Member of RSL • Sent Franklin • The glass tube • A periodical that described electrical experiments • Collinson: read Franklin’s letters to RSL

  13. Franklin’s Publication on Electricity • Actually a collection of his letters • Compiled in 1751 by Collinson with a friend • Became “Experiments and Observations on Electricity” • One of the most widely reprinted books of the entire enlightenment (!) • Translated into French, German & Italian • Resulting Honors • Copley medal in 1753 • Membership into RSL in 1756 • Foreign assoc. Academie of Science in Paris by 1773

  14. Summary & Conclusions for Today • Franklin benefited from favorable factors • Family • Self-education: wide & specialized reading • Business: developed skills and income • Electricity as a 2nd career • Travels that brought him • Key contacts • Wide-spread international reputation

  15. Summary & Conclusions for Today • While Franklin seemed the right person at the right time to promote electricity, many others helped him either as friend or foe. • Next time: electricity & the controversial lightning rod in theory and practice

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