The Papers of 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/the-papers-of-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. How big is The Papers of Benjamin Franklin?Approximately fifty volumes, with over forty published by 2022
2. What is the project commencement?1959
3. What is the primary editorial institutions?Yale University and the American Philosophical Society
4. Why did people start collecting Franklin's papers?Because his own words give the best insight into his life and how he helped shape early America.
5. How many volumes are in the collection?The project aims for about fifty volumes, and more than forty have already been finished and published.

Correspondence: The collection of letters exchanged between individuals, forming a primary source for historical study.
Scholarly editing: A rigorous academic process of preparing historical documents for publication, ensuring accuracy, context, and critical analysis.
Primary source material: Original documents or artifacts created during the time period being studied, offering direct evidence.
Enlightenment figure: An intellectual leader during the Age of Enlightenment, emphasizing reason, individualism, and skepticism towards tradition.