Benjamin Banneker

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/benjamin-banneker

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Benjamin Banneker born?November 9, 1731
2. Where was Benjamin Banneker born?Baltimore County, Maryland
3. What was Benjamin Banneker's job?Naturalist, mathematician, astronomer, almanac author, surveyor
4. What is the published works?Authored a commercially successful series of almanacs from 1792 to 1797
5. What is the notable correspondence?Exchanged letters with Thomas Jefferson regarding slavery and racial equality
6. Who was Benjamin Banneker?Benjamin Banneker was an 18th‑century African American who loved stars, math, and made calendars. He taught himself science and helped build the first U.S. capital.

Polymath: An individual whose knowledge spans a significant number of subjects, demonstrating expertise in diverse fields.
Enlightenment Ideals: Philosophical concepts emphasizing reason, individualism, and human rights that influenced the American Revolution.