Benjamin Franklin

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

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-franklin

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 Franklin born?January 17, 1706
2. When did Benjamin Franklin die?April 17, 1790 (age 84)
3. Where was Benjamin Franklin born?Boston, Massachusetts, USA
4. Who was Benjamin Franklin?Benjamin Franklin was a famous American inventor, scientist, writer, and one of the Founding Fathers who helped create the United States.
5. How did Franklin protect houses from lightning?He showed that lightning is electricity with a kite experiment and then invented the lightning rod to keep buildings safe.

Polymath: An individual whose knowledge spans a significant number of subjects, demonstrated by learning, experience, or talent in varied fields.
Enlightenment: An intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries, emphasizing reason and individualism.
Abolitionist: A person who advocated for the end of slavery and the emancipation of enslaved people.