OtterKnow Kids Encyclopedia

Benjamin Franklin is famous for flying a kite with a shiny key during a thunderstorm to discover that lightning is electricity! He also helped write important papers that made our country free. He traveled all the way to France on a big ship to ask them to be friends with the United States. He started the very first fire department and library in America to help his community!

• Benjamin Franklin invented special glasses called bifocals that help people see things both near and far!
• He also invented a stove that kept homes warm and a musical instrument called the glass armonica.
• He loved swimming so much that he made special paddles for his hands to swim faster.
• Benjamin was one of the oldest people to sign the Declaration of Independence!