Lectures tagged "electricity"

Audio-only
Benjamin Franklin and the Wild Turkey
Elizabeth Riely
March 23, 2006
00:45:53
Historian Elizabeth Riely explores Benjamin Franklin's encounters with the odd-looking bird, from his "turkey-fries" leading up to his famous kite-flying experiment with electricity to his celebrated remarks on why the turkey would be more suitable than the bald eagle as a symbol of our nation.
Stealing God's Thunder: Benjamin Franklin's Lightning Rod
Philip Dray
January 17, 2006
00:59:15
Philip Dray uses the story of Franklin's wild experiments and his battles with his vehement detractors as a metaphor for America's struggle for democracy and the establishment of our fundamental democratic values.