Ben Franklin Flew his Famous Kite in 1752

 Events
Jun 152024
 
Ben Franklin

Ben Franklin

Ben Franklin flew his famous kite in 1752, demonstrating that lightning carries an electrical current. Idea: Actually Franklin was lucky to survive the lightning. Older children could read about the experiment at: https://www.fi.edu/benjamin-franklin/kite-key-experiment. Children could learn about lightning and thunder at: Lightning and Thunder. Children could locate more information on lightning and its dangers.

“Gregorian Correction” to Calendar in 1752

 Events
Sep 022024
 

Great Britain and the American colonies conducted a “Gregorian Correction” to the calendar in 1752. The day after September 2 became September 14. Angry mobs protested in the streets because they felt they lost eleven days. The country also changed New Year’s Day from March 25 to January 1. Most of Europe had adopted the Gregorian calendar almost two centuries earlier on October 4, 1582.