Interesting Facts about Benjamin Franklin!
Food for a ThoughtFranklin decided to become a vegetarian when he was 16 years old. He prepared his own meals, eating boiled potatoes, rice, hasty pudding, bread, raisins, and water. Quickly finishing his simple meals gave Ben more time for reading and studying.
Ben later gave up vegetarianism, however, because during the voyage from Boston to Philadelphia, he ate fish. $$RICH$$After writing and publishing Poor Richard's Almanac and The Way to Wealth, Ben Franklin became so wealthy that he was able to retire from printing in his early forties.
Bath time!Franklin liked to take "air baths." He would sit naked in his bathtub and let the cold air from an open window clean away any germs! How's that for a new way to clean?
Happy Birthday...?Benjamin Franklin actually had two birthdays. Franklin's birth certificate says that he was born on January 6, 1706, but on September 2, 1752 the British colonies changed to a different calendar, because of the extra 1/4 day in every year. Therefore, at midnight on September 2, 1752, it legally became September 14 and Franklin's new birthday became January 17.
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Turkey, not Eagle!Benjamin Franklin believed that the turkey should be the representative of the United States, not the eagle, for eagles were scavengers, lazily stealing from the hard workers who actually tried to catch their dinner. Turkeys, on the other hand... "For the truth the Turkey is in comparison a much more respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America . . . He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a bird of courage, and would not hesitate to attack a grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his farm yard with a red coat on."
Here, doggy, doggy!Benjamin Franklin's son, William, owned a Newfoundland dog, mentioned in one of his letters. In another letter, it was indicated that the dog had once ran away.
Religion!Franklin was baptized in 1706, occasionally worshiped at church, and believes in God. "[I believe] That there is one God, who made all things.
That he governs the world by his providence. That he ought to be worshiped by adoration, prayer, and thanksgiving. But that the most acceptable service of God is doing good to man. That the soul is immortal. And that God will certainly reward virtue and punish vice, either here or hereafter." |
Patented InventionsBenjamin Franklin never patented his inventions, so he never did get any money for them. He lived humbly as a postmaster and a printer.
Smart?Benjamin Franklin was bad at math! (gasp!) There's an excuse for all the children who forgot their math homework!
However, just because Franklin was bad at math does not mean he wasn't an intelligent man. Super Famous!Franklin belongs to over 10 different Halls of Fame, precisely 14. Over 30 colonies of the United States renamed themselves to honor Benjamin Franklin. Today, Franklin is the first most common name for cities incorporated in the United States. Clinton and Washington follow in second and third place.
Quint-lingual?Benjamin Franklin taught himself five different languages: Latin, German, Spanish, Italian and French. See? He IS smart!
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