Benjamin Franklin and the American Enlightenment (PDF)
Dr. Richard Beeman
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Professor of American History, University of Pennsylvania
Chess and Benjamin Franklin - His Pioneering Contributions (PDF)
John McCrary
Past President and Past Vice President of the United States Chess Federation, and Past President of the US Chess Trust
The honor of Dutch seamen: Benjamin Franklin's theory of oil on troubled waters and its epistemological aftermath (PDF)
Joost Mertens
Franklin's Legacy and Popularity (1790-1860) (PDF)
Dr. Nian-Sheng Huang
Associate Professor of History, California State University Channel Islands
Six New Letters for a Reformed Alphabet (PDF)
Nicola Twilley
Director of Public Programming, Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Benjamin Franklin and China - A Survey of Benjamin Franklin's Efforts at Drawing Positive Elements from Chinese Civilization during the Formative Age of the United States (PDF)
Dave Wang Ph.D
Manager of Hollis Library, Adjunct Professor of St. Johns University
Benjamin Franklin: Portrait of the Statesman as a Rockstar (PDF)
Constance V. Hershey
Curator, Frankliniana Database, Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
The House That Franklin Built (PDF)
Dr. Page Talbott
Associate Director, and Chief Curator, Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World
Franklin and His Gods (PDF)
Dr. Kerry Walters
William Bittinger Professor of Philosophy and Philosophy Department Chair, Gettysburg College
Anatomy of an Autobiography (PDF)
Michael Zuckerman
Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania
"The Scientific Mind of Ben Franklin" (PDF)
Jerry Weinberger
Source: The New Atlantis: Journal of Technology and Society, Winter 2007.
Benjamin Franklin, Entrepreneur
Franklin was the youngest son and fifteenth child born to his working-class father and he only attended school for two years - but he made enough money to retire from active business by the age of 42. How did he do it?
Ben's Birthday Cake
Jennifer Macdonald, assistant pastry chef at the Fountain Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, competed in "Ben's Birthday Bake-Off" to win the right to present Ben with his official birthday cake, a Spiced Penny Pound Cake from the Desk of B. Franklin. This is her recipe, so you can bake a birthday cake for Ben at home!
Franklin's Favorite Foods
Did you know that Franklin introduced tofu to the colonies? Or that he wished that the turkey had been chosen as the national bird? Or that he loved parmesan cheese?
Poor Richard's Ale
During January 2006, breweries all over America honored Benjamin Franklin's 300th birthday by serving a beer specially brewed for the occasion.
