Franklin Quiz

Q1) Which of the following did Ben invent?

a) a device to grab books from high shelves
b) an early version of the copy machine
c) swimming fins
d) a flexible catheter

A1) All of the above

Q2) What time-related adjustment did Franklin propose?

A2) Daylight Savings time

Q3) In his will, what did Franklin leave to his only son, William?

A3) Nothing

Q4) Franklin used many pseudonyms throughout his life. What was his most famous alter ego?

A4) Poor Richard

Q5) During his first stay in London, teenage Ben was offered an intriguing teaching job. If he had taken the offer, what would he have taught in London? (Hint: His classes would have been taught in the Thames).?

A5) Swimming Lessons
(Interesting fact: Benjamin Franklin is the only founding father ever to be inducted into the Swimming Hall of Fame!)

Q6) What socially unacceptable activity did Franklin defend in a witty essay?

A6) Farting

Q7) What dietary change did young Franklin temporarily undertake in order to save time and money for his studies??

A7) Vegetarianism

Q8) What risqué sort of cleansing was Franklin known to have practiced?

A8) Nude air baths

Q9) In the eve of Franklin’s life, what did he campaign against?. (Hint: he was the only one of the founding fathers to do so).

A9) Slavery

Q10) As colonial Deputy Postmaster General, Ben helped the post office achieve something it had never done before. What did he do for the US Post office?

A10) Make money/Turn a profit

Q11) Our understanding of modern weather is based largely on a discovery Ben made while crossing the Atlantic. What did Ben chart during his voyages?

A11) The Gulf Stream

Q12) What famous act did Franklin successfully have repealed in England’s House of Commons?

A12) The Stamp Act

Q13) How old was Franklin when he traveled to France to obtain funding and an alliance for America’s revolution?

A13) 70

Q14) Franklin helped found the Philadelphia Contributionship, the first successful company of its kind in America. What did the Philadelphia Contributionship sell?

A14) Fire Insurance

Q15) Both Beethoven and Mozart composed for an instrument Franklin invented. What was the instrument?

A15) The Glass Armonica

Franklin was famous for the aphorisms he included in his yearly Almanack. Complete the following well-known sayings by Ben.

Three can keep a secret if two of them _______________?

A) Are dead

Nothing in life is certain except _______________?

A) Death and Taxes

Fish and visitors _______________________?

A) Stink after three days

Haste _______________?

A) Makes Waste

Time is _______________?

A) Money