Benjamin Franklin – Blackbird and Company

practical: sensible and realistic in their approach to a situation or problem
diligent: having or showing care and conscientiousness in one’ duties or work
literate: being able to read and write
curious: eager to know or learn something
clever: quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent

Josiah Franklin taught his seventeen children to be honest, hardworking and satisfied with little.
Benjamin Franklin gave his father the suggestion when saying grace, to bless the whole larder at one time as this would save time.
Benjamin’s worried father persuaded him to become a printer’s apprentice.
Benjamin disguised his identity by taking on the false name of the Widow Dogood, so that his articles would be published in his brother’s paper.
After his brother told him he would have to stay and complete his nine year apprenticeship, Benjamin decided to run away.
The good people of Philadelphia hid their smiles when they saw Benjamin walking up Market Street with his pockets full of clothes and his arms filled with bread.
When Benjamin went to bid Cotton Mather goodbye, he gave him the advice to, “stoop as you go through life, young man, and you will miss many hard bumps.”

thrifty: the quality of using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully
intelligent: the ability to understand, acquire knowledge
witty: showing or characterized by quick and inventive verbal humor
resourceful: having the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties
generous: showing a readiness to give more of something, as money, or time, than is strictly
necessary or expected

During his year and a half in London, Benjamin had learned to be humbler, and wiser and had learned enough to really be the best printer in the colonies.
The reason Benjamin gave for starting a fine school was that he believed, “he who teaches himself often has a fool for a master.”
Benjamin solved the problem of the inefficient fireplace by inventing the Franklin stove, which filled the fireplace a drew in the cold air and emitted warm air.
Benjamin wondered if lightning were caused by electric charges in the clouds.
To stop houses from burning down during storms he invented the lightning rod.
On the ship to England, Benjamin studied the Gulf Stream, the whales and the birds.
The miracle trick that Benjamin performed for the townspeople was to still the waves of the pond using his walking stick and oil.

leader: the person who leads, commands a group, organization or country
hardworking: tending to work with energy and commitment; diligent
humble: having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance
patient: able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or impatient
diplomatic :concerning the profession, activity, or skill of managing international relations

When the men gathered for the Second Continental Congress he and Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence.
After signing the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin announced to the other signers, “we must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
Benjamin told the Frenchmen and women of high degree that the dearest possession of every American was his freedom.
After the American troops won their first victory, Benjamin persuaded the French to enter the war openly, and to recognize America as a free and independent country.
When Thomas Jefferson arrived in France and the French asked if he had come to replace Franklin, he said, “Nobody can replace him. I am only his successor.”
After returning from France, Benjamin Franklin’s last work was to help write and sign the Constitution.