Verified Document

How Benjamin Franklin's Inventions Impacted Society Essay

Benjamin Franklin's inventions impact society. Benjamin Franklin: The impact of his inventions

As well as one of the Founding Fathers of America, Benjamin Franklin was a great inventor and scientist. His inventions have had a lasting impact upon the world. Franklin was not formally educated, but he was a great reader and observer. His inventions were largely practical, but the principles upon which they were based were well-grounded in scientific theory. "Franklin was one of the most practical inventors in history. He built many devices that were designed to help improve or solve everyday problems" ("Benjamin Franklin: Inquiring mind," PBS, 2011). Franklin often began with problems that he was personally affected with, like poor eyesight, the inability to reach books on a high bookcase, or the dangers of wood-burning stoves and strikes by lightening. Then, he used the scientific method to analyze the problem, and find solutions. Franklin's model of scientific analysis and intuitive problem solving can be seen in the examples of many self-educated entrepreneurs today, such as Steve Jobs, who only had one semester of college education and began what evolved into the Apple computer company in a garage.

Many people would be unable to read this document without Franklin's invention of bifocals. Franklin had poor vision and disliked having to switch back and forth between two pairs of glasses. Instead, he created glasses with two sets of lenses that enabled him to see both far and near distances. Franklin wrote he was: "happy in the invention of double spectacles, which serving for distant objects as well as near ones, make my eyes...

History, 2011). Another of his medical inventions, a flexible urinary catheter, was designed to help his older brother John, who suffered from kidney stones. Until Franklin, all urinary catheters designed to help people who had trouble passing urine were made from painfully inflexible materials ("The Electric Ben Franklin," U.S. History, 2011).
Franklin was well-traveled and used his experiences abroad to inform his inventions. During one of his many voyages at sea, "Franklin suggested following the Chinese model of dividing ships' holds into watertight compartments so that if a leak occurred in one compartment, the water would not spread throughout the hold and sink the ship" ("Benjamin Franklin's inventions," The Franklin Institute, 2011). Franklin was also the first man to ever map the Gulf Stream, because he was curious as to why trips east were faster than return trips. His map led to better understanding of the ocean currents of the area ("Benjamin Franklin's inventions," The Franklin Institute, 2011).

Franklin's mind was constantly searching how to solve home-based problems as well, both large and small. For example, in colonial America, houses were warmed by wood-burning fireplaces. These open fireplaces were dangerous and many homes burned to the ground as a result. Franklin invented an iron furnace stove that allowed people to warm their homes without an exposed flame, and with less wood. This type of furnace is still called a Franklin stove. The stove was warmer and produced less smoke: "This cast-iron furnace would radiate heat from the middle…

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

"Benjamin Franklin: Inquiring mind." PBS [6 Dec 2011]

http://www.pbs.org/benfranklin/l3_inquiring_little.html

"Benjamin Franklin's inventions." The Franklin Institute.

[6 Dec 2011] http://sln.fi.edu/franklin/inventor/inventor.html
http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/info/inventions.htm
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography Benjamin Franklin,
Words: 1540 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

Franklin, instead, was able to see the advantages in unfortunate situations, and to use them to his own benefit. He was able to admit that he was a marginal poet and go on to do other things rather than feel injured or insecure. Again, I feel that having been educated and a talented reader/writer was responsible for much of Franklin's genius, but the ability to be grateful for hardship, to

Benjamin Franklin Is Considered One of the
Words: 1313 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

Benjamin Franklin is considered one of the most important men in American history. Among his many contributions to the world were inventions such as the Franklin stove, the bifocal, and the harnessing of electricity. He is also renowned for his writings, including contributions to the United States' Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. One of his most enduring works has been his multi-volume autobiography wherein he highlights some of the

Benjamin Franklin Was Born on
Words: 7384 Length: 25 Document Type: Term Paper

He also related how his small group of friends played tricks with their unwitting neighbors. His friends would set fire on alcohol, rekindled candles blown out, imitate lightning flashes or by touching or kissing and make an artificial spider move (Bellis). Using the Leyden jar, Benjamin made an electrical batter, roasted a fowl on a spit fired with electricity, ignited alcohol by electricity through water, fired gunpowder and shocked wine

Benjamin Franklin Has Long Been
Words: 890 Length: 3 Document Type: Research Paper

He once wrote to a friend, "In short, I conceive that a great part of the miseries of mankind are brought upon them by the false estimates they have made of the value of things" (Franklin & Rogers 1996). Since Franklin had come to understood these ideas related to happiness at a very young age, he was able to live a life that was not just satisfying for him, but

Benjamin Franklin: An American Life Walter Isaacson's
Words: 1270 Length: 5 Document Type: Book Review

Benjamin Franklin: an American life Walter Isaacson's book "Benjamin Franklin: An American Life" was published by Simon and Schuster in 2003 and has 608 pages. The book is meant to discuss with regard to Benjamin Franklin's life from a whole different perspective when compared to traditional biographies concerning the Founding Father. The main topic addressed is Benjamin Franklin, as the book covers a series of aspects about his life, his effect

Freemasonry in Pre-1917 Russia Free
Words: 3982 Length: 15 Document Type: Research Paper

I. Novikov. It is not clear whether Bolotov himself was a Mason, but he certainly personally belonged to the same social circles as many leading Freemasons in Russia. In his Entsiklopediia, 128, 990, Serkov mentions Bolotov as a possible member of the Konigsberg military lodge of Joanna Krestitelia (John the Baptist) working in Elagin's system around 1773. (Cross, 105) The Freemasons continued to grow and improve Russian society until the death

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now