Benjamin Franklin Links on the WWW

Friends Groups

• Celebration! Benjamin Franklin, Founder
  Celebrate Benjamin Franklin's Birthday every January 17, in Philadelphia, with a seminar, a parade, and a ceremony at his grave at the Christ Church Burial Ground, and a luncheon.
  
  
• Friends of Benjamin Franklin House, US
  raises funds in the United States to support the restoration and maintenance of Ben Franklin's only surviving residence, 36 Craven Street in London, and to preserve Ben Franklin's enduring legacies of scientific inquiry and Anglo-American cooperation, both of which he fostered while living at 36 Craven Street.
  
  

More Franklin...

• Benjamin Franklin: A Documentary History
  Leo Lemay, a renowned Franklin Scholar, has hosted this wonderful site for years. Here you will learn about the different stages of Franklin's life from Printer to Elder Statesman. Each chapter in his life is broken down by year. Each year is fascinating and Lemay never bores with too many details. The only complaint: not enough images, but the ones that are there are superb
  
  
• The World of Benjamin Franklin
  From Philadelphia's Franklin Institute, a page almost as boss as Ben himself. There's a Quick-Time movie called "Glimpses of the Man," a very useful Franklin timeline, family tree, glossary, and pages devoted to the many people that Ben was: philosopher, inventor, printer, etc. There's also a link to the Franklin Institute which you shouldn't click if you have work to do.
  
  
• Benjamin Franklin: An Extraordinary Life: An Electric Mind
  from PBS, including support materials for the TV program, with lesson plans for teachers
  
  
• Benjamin Franklin House
  In the heart of London, is the house where for nearly sixteen years between 1757 and 1775, Benjamin Franklin lived.
  
  
• Ben and Verse
  from Franklin's Sayings. See Benjamin Franklin's proverbs and quotes in sound bites and rhymes. Find a bio, links, and aphorisms by subject from "Poor Richard's Almanac." Monthly.
  
  
• Cellphone biography of Franklin
  This biography of Benjamin Franklin introduces you to one of the most colorful of the founding fathers. This mobile learning (m-learning) course consists of 9 animated screens, plus a 5 question multiple choice quiz. Once downloaded to your phone, it will be accessible without any need to connect to the Internet.
  
  
• International Swimming Hall of Fame
  Their page devoted to Franklin and his inclusion in their Hall of Fame.
  
  
• Benjamin Franklin: American Statesman and Inventor
  Skip the small Franklin bio and head to the reading list. Good descriptions of Franklin's writings and where to purchase them
  
  
• Franklin Court
  Visit Ben's house, print shop, and an underground museum devoted to the famed kite-flyer
  
  
• The Glass Armonica
  Mozart played it, Beethoven composed for it, Jefferson wanted it. For a view of the lighter side of pre-revolutionary days, learn about the invention and rise to popularity of the glass armonica
  
  
• Forgotten Founders
  The complete book online concerning the relationship between Franklin's works and the Iroquois
  
  

Franklin Portrayers

• Ralph Archbold
  Think Ben Franklin is dead? Au contraire! Not only do Ben's ideas live on, but so does his spirit in the form of Ralph Archbold who portrays Ben all around the world. If your class needs to hire Ben Franklin, this is the place to come
  
  
• Bill Ochester
  Portraying Dr. Benjamin Franklin, Printer, Citizen, Rebel, Scientist and Inventor, Politician, Statesman, Bon Vivant, Peacemaker, Sage
  
  

Glass Armonica Players

• Cecilia Brauer
  Living in Merrick, N.Y., she is a pianist, teacher, associate member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and an avid player of the Armonica. Listen to some samples of the Armonica.
  
  
• Carolinn Skylar
  From Philadelphia, Carolinn Skyler owns several Glass Armonicas and performs classical concerts and recitals as well as the historical portrayal of Marianne Kirchgaessner, the blind Armonicist in Ben Franklin's time.
  
  
• Yatri
  "Soothing Sounds of Crystal Singing Bowls"
  
  
• William Zeitler
  Out of San Bernardino, CA, he is "a premier composer of today—his music is played on six continents. He has numerous published and commissioned works to his credit, produced seven CDs, performed around the world, and can be heard performing in concert as well as film & TV."