Introduction to Franklin

Benjamin Franklin (170665438+1October17-1790 April17) (also translated as Benjamin Franklin and Ben Ming Jie Franklin) was born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, and was an American politician and physicist.

Benjamin Franklin? FRS？ FRSE (English: Benjamin Franklin,170665438+1October17-65438+April 1790) was born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, and is one of the founding fathers of the United States. He is an outstanding politician, diplomat, scientist and inventor. He is also a publisher, printer, journalist, writer, philanthropist and member of the * * * Economic Association. As a scientist, he became an important figure in the American Enlightenment and the history of physics because of his discovery and theory of electricity. As an inventor, he is famous for lightning rod, binoculars and Franklin fireplace. He established many non-governmental organizations, including the Philadelphia Fire Department and the University of Pennsylvania.

Franklin persistently advocated colonial reunification for a long time, initially calling for it as an author and spokesman in London, and was known as "the first person in America". As the first American ambassador to France, he became a role model for this new country. Franklin played a fundamental role in American national spirit. He advocated pragmatism, worked hard, educated people to be wise, team spirit and autonomous government, opposed political and religious absolutism, and was full of the scientific and tolerant spirit of the Enlightenment. Historian Henry Steele Comag said: "Franklin showed an undyed puritanical spirit, and he lived an enlightenment without demons." Walter isaacson believes that this made Franklin: "It became the most successful in the United States at that time and had the deepest influence on the creation of American social forms."

Philadelphia is a colonial metropolis. Franklin is a successful newspaper editor and publisher in this city. At the age of 23, he published the Pennsylvania newspaper. Franklin published Poor Richard's Yearbook under the pseudonym "Richard Sanders", which made him rich. After 1767, he joined the Pennsylvania Chronicle [1 1], advocating revolution and criticizing British policies.

175 1 year, Franklin, as the first president, helped to establish Philadelphia College and later became the University of Pennsylvania. He organized and founded the American Philosophical Society, served as the first secretary, and served as the chairman in 1769. Franklin went to London on behalf of the colony, urging the parliament to abolish the unpopular stamp duty bill and become a national hero of the United States. As an outstanding diplomat, he is very popular in Paris, France, and has made great contributions to the establishment of a positive alliance between the United States and France. These efforts played a key role during the American War of Independence, ensuring that the revolution could get supplies from France.

After working as a postal worker in Philadelphia for many years, Franklin became the acting director of the colonial general post office on 1753, and established the first national communication system. During the revolution, he became the first postmaster general in the United States. Franklin took an active part in community, colonial, interstate, national and international affairs. 1785 to 1788 as governor of Pennsylvania. At first, Franklin owned and sold slaves, but in 1750, he released his servants and expressed his opposition from the economic point of view, becoming an outstanding representative of abolitionists.

Franklin's life is rich in legend and rich in scientific and political heritage, ranking first among the founding fathers. After two centuries of commemoration, he reappeared many times in coins [100 dollar bills | 100 dollar bills], ships, cities, counties, colleges, companies and various cultural activities.

Extended data:

Kite experiment and lightning rod

1750, Franklin published an experiment that flying a kite in a storm can prove that lightning is discharge. On May 1752 and 10, the Frenchman Thomas-Fran? ois Dalibard verified Franklin's experiment, using a 40-foot (12m) long iron bar instead of a kite to collect electric sparks from the clouds. On June 15, Franklin probably conducted a famous experiment in St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, and successfully collected electric sparks from clouds. 1752, 10, 19 In June, Franklin described the experiment in Pennsylvania, but did not mention that the experimenter was himself.

65438+February 2 1, the report was read by the Royal Society and published in Philosophy Express. 1767, joseph priestley published detailed rules in his History and Present Situation of Electricity. Franklin stood on the insulator carefully and hid under the eaves to avoid being electrocuted. Professor Georg Richman of Russia was electrocuted while conducting a similar experiment.

In the article, Franklin mentioned the danger and gave other methods, such as grounding. Franklin didn't fly a kite into the sky like in popular novels, which was fatal! Franklin flew a kite and collected charges in the dark clouds, indicating thunder and discharge. 10 year 10 month 19 day, Franklin wrote a letter to Britain and repeated the experiment:

Rain soaks the kite string to make it conductive, and it can be found that the current keeps flowing to the key next to the finger, which can be used to charge the small bottle or Leyden bottle. The electric spark obtained from it can be used for all electrical experiments, usually with the help of rubber glass dome or tube; Therefore, lightning shows exactly the same electrical characteristics.

Franklin invented the lightning rod in his electrical experiment. He said that sharp rather than blunt tips can be released peacefully at a long distance. He guessed to install "an upright iron bar, sharp as a needle, gold-plated and rust-proof, connecting wires at the bottom of the iron bar and leading to the ground outside the building ... The top of the bar can quietly absorb electric sparks before the dark clouds disperse, thus protecting us from sudden terrible pranks!" After doing a series of experiments in our own home, 1752 installed lightning rods in Philadelphia College (now University of Pennsylvania) and Pennsylvania Hall (post-independence hall).

References:

Baidu Encyclopedia: Benjamin Franklin