“A Monarchy Or A Republic?

Benjamin Franklin they think of a kite getting struck by lightning. What they do not know is that Benjamin Franklin did a whole lot more in life other then experiment with electricity. Benjamin Franklin is historically significant because of his work as a publisher, his inventions and experiments, and his contributions to society. Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 to Josiah Franklin and his second wife Abiah (Lemay). Being one of seventeen children, Ben only attended elementary school for two years before he was taken out due to financial difficulties. After he was taken from school, Ben worked with his father making soap and candles. At the young age of twelve, Ben went to work for his brother, James, a publisher, as an apprentice at the print shop where James worked. In the few years that Ben attended school he learned how to read, and he absolutely loved it. Working with his brother at the newspaper only enhanced his love fore reading and he read every issue of the paper along with any other book he could get his hands on (Jennings).

Reading so many books help Ben become a wonderful writer. He wanted nothing more than to write for his brother’s paper, but he knew no one would allow him to because he was such a young man. At around sixteen years of age he started writing under a fake name of Silence Dogood. He would take the stories he wrote and slide them under his brother’s door. The articles were printed in the paper and became quite popular (Bowen). Eventually his brother found out that it was Ben doing the writing and became very angry. Their relationship was never the same after that. After the incident with his brother, Ben traveled some to get away from his brother and the rest of the society. He visited New York for a while then made his way to Philadelphia. He worked as a journeyman for one of Philadelphia’s two print shops. He found a place to live at a boarding house next door to the print shop.

Deborah, and got to know her. This was the woman whom Ben would later marry. She also helped Ben get acquainted with the upper class of Pennsylvania. A few years later, after a trip to England and various other jobs, Ben began working for one of his old bosses training new employees (Bowen). Because of Ben this print shop became very popular and was given the contract to print the first paper currency in the United States. After leaving that print shop Ben decided, with a little help from a friend, to open his own print shop. Ben worked hard and the shop was a success. Ben was eventually elected clerk of the Pennsylvania assemble. He printed the laws of the Pennsylvania assembly, as well as the laws of other businesses using his printing company. Because he loved books and thought they were very important, Ben established the first circulation library for all of the citizens. It was called the “Library company of Philadelphia” (“Ben Franklin Facts”). This library also served as somewhat scientific museum, housing stuffed (previously alive) animals and fossils. Ben also wrote and published Poor Richards Almanac. He started inventing and doing experiments.

Benjamin Franklin is greatly known for his inventions and experiments that are still used in present day America. He invented the bifocal lens, the catheter, the glass armonica, the Franklin stove, the odometer, the lightning rod, and many other things. He also did many experiments with electricity, even though, contrary to popular belief, he did not invent it. Ben had very poor vision. He has a separate pair of glasses for nearsightedness and farsightedness. One day he got tired of switching back and forth between the two so he cut the lenses in half and fitted them into the frame of his glasses and then bifocals were invented ( “The World”). His idea has been perfected throughout the years now many people wear bifocal lenses and some even wear what is called trifocal lenses, which are based off the same idea. Ben was also interested in human anatomy. He had an older brother named John who regularly suffered from kidney stones. Sometimes when people have kidney stones they can not urinate regularly.