Existing comment:
This 1763 engraving is one of dozens that bolstered Franklin's fame as a scientist. It shows two of Franklin's inventions: alarm bells that alerted him when the atmosphere became charged with electricity, and a lightning rod.
Missing from the image are the people whose labor freed Franklin to conduct his research: the women, indentured servants, and enslaved people who maintained his household, assisted him, or made or operated equipment. |