731BenjaminFranklin: 2008

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Reflection

I think that I did well on this project. I think i should've added some more information on how Benjamin Franklin helped the building of our nation. I learned a lot from this project, from all the internet sites and books I read on him. Learning about Benjamin Franklin was interesting and making a blog for him made it a creative project.

Statement of Process

For this project we went to the library to take out some books. I got some very useful books and I started my research there. I continued researching with the books and the internet. After finding a lot of information i began to write blog posts and slowly posting them on the blog. I also tried to find some pictures for the blog. I did the bibliography, statement of process, and the reflection last. I think writing the posts and then slowly posting them helped me because it let me manage the time I had to do this project better.

Bibliography

1. Brenda Haugen and Andrew Santella "Benjamin Franklin; scientest and statesmen" Minneapolis Compass Point Books 2005
2. Candace Fleming "Ben Franklin's Amanac being a true account of the Good Gentleman's Life" New York Library of Congress Cataloging-in-publication Data 2003
3. Benjamin Franklin and an introduction by Peter shaw "The Autobiography and other writings by Benjamin Franklin" New York Bantam Books 1982
4. Edmund S. Morgan "Benjamin Franklin" Library of Congress Cataloging-in-publication Data 2002
5. Resources for learning 2008 Http://www.fi.edu/franklin/inventor/inventor.html
6. ushistory.org 1999-2008 Http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/info/timeline.htm
7. Dictionary.com 2008 Http://dictionary.reference.com/
8. Resources for Science Learning 2008 Http://www.fi.edu/franklin/birthday/faq.html#24

Writing

I also liked to write. I wrote short stories, an autobiography, early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise, essays, letters,and in 1730 i wrote A witch Trial at Mount Holly.

10 Vocabulary Words

10 Vocabulary Words

Bifocals- (of an eyeglass or contact lens) having two portions, one for near and one for far vision.
Treatise-a formal and systematic exposition in writing of the principles of a subject, generally longer and more detailed than an essay.
Constitution-the system of fundamental principles according to which a nation, state, corporation, or the like, is governed.
Treaty-a formal agreement between two or more states in reference to peace, alliance, commerce, or other international relations.
Abolition-The act of doing away with or the state of being done away with; annulment. (ex:abolishing slavery)
Alliance- A close association of nations or other groups, formed to advance common interests or causes
Promote- to help or encourage to exist or flourish; further
Amity-mutual understanding and a peaceful relationship, esp. between nations; peace; accord.
Apprentice- a person who works for another in order to learn a trade
Commerce- an interchange of goods or commodities, esp. on a large scale between different countries (foreign commerce) or between different parts of the same country (domestic commerce); trade; business.

Would I be friends with Benjamin Franklin?

If Benjamin Franklin were alive I would want to be friends with him because he is a very smart person, he fights for what he wants, and he cares about the people. Benjamin Franklin invented many things and he printed his own newspaper. He thought slavery was wrong, so he fought to end it. He wanted people to know what was going on, so in his newspaper his had drawings so that if someone couldn't read they would still know what was going on by looking at the picture. Benjamin Franklin got things done and I think he would make a great friend.

When Benjamin died

Benjamin Franklin died on April 17, 1790, he was 84 years old. 20,000 people came to his funeral at the Christ Church Burrial Ground in Philidelphia.

What I printed

I had my own printing office in Philidelphia I printed a newspaper the Pennsylvania Gazette and Poor Richard's Almanack. I liked to give news to the people, so i also drew cartoons and pictures, so that the people who couldn't read would no what was going on. I also printed money.

What I started

I started The University of Pennsylvania, American Philosophical Society, Pennsylvania Hospital, and Franklin and Marshall College.

Helping our Country

In 1776 i signed the Declaration of Independence, in 1778 the Treaty of Alliance, Amity, and Commerce with France, in 1782 the Treaty of Peace between England, France, and the United States, and in 1787 the constitution. I also helped Thomas Jefferson write parts of the Declaration of Independence. I am the only person who signed all four of these documents.

Bifocals

I wanted a way to use my glasses to see near and far, so that I wouldn't have to put them on and take them off all the time. I invented the bifocals by taking two glasses and cutting them in half, then I put half of each lense in a frame.

This is a picture of a pair of bifocals

Against Slavery

In 1789 I write an anti-slavery treatise and I become the president of the Society for promoting the Abolition of Slavery.

I go back home..

I go back to Boston and I ask to borrow money from my father, so that I could start my own printing shop, but he didn't give me anything

I became a vegetarian

In 1722 I became a vegetarian. One reason for why I did it was so that i could save money and buy more books.

My family

My father's name is Josiah Franklin and he came to Boston from England and he made soap and candles for a living. He married my mother Abiah Folger after his first wife died. I have a total of 17 siblings, some of the children were from my father's other marriage. I am the 15th child, but the youngest son.

Becoming an apprentice

In 1718 I became an apprentice to my older brother,James, he was a printer

My brother James and The New England Courant

In 1721 my brother James started to print his newspaper, The New England Courant. One year later the Massachusetts assembly arrested him for making public officials look bad in his paper. In 1723 I took over my brother's newspaper. In September of the same year I go to philidelphia and I continue print, but for another company.