Whenever I run into references to Ben Franklin I’m struck by what an absolute stud he was. He discovered electricity, founded the postal system, had a passel of kids, hit the French like Jerry Lewis, and published Poor Richard’s almanac. How much of this is hype and how much is the truth? The other founding fathers seem to get much more play even though they look like chumps in comparison. Why? Is there some deep dark secret about ol’ B.F. that makes him less attractive than Thomas Jefferson or Sam Adams? –Chris DeHart, Poulsbo, Washington
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Now, Chris. Sam Adams is remembered today mainly because he’s got a beer named after him. Thomas Jefferson, on the other hand, was president of the United States and principal author of the Declaration of Independence, which surely still warrants some public attention. As it is, however, Jefferson gets his mug on the next-to-worthless nickel, whereas Franklin, whose highest executive position in government was postmaster general, is commemorated on the $100 bill, beloved by high rollers, drug dealers, and other national role models. How fair is that?
He discovered electricity. Don’t be silly. Electrical experiments by gifted amateurs were common after the invention of the Leyden jar, a primitive capacitor, in 1746. Franklin was a talented experimentalist who made some notable discoveries about electricity, most famously the fact that lightning was electricity but also the existence of positive and negative charge. The French in particular lionized him for this work and considered him a genius. I won’t say he wasn’t, but his reputation benefited from the fact that he was an early entrant in a small field–professional scientists in those days were rare.
