Electricity and Static: Franklin and his British compatriots

Franklin’s discoveries in electricity have rewarded scholarly attention for many decades. This short essay is not about electricity in the strict sense, but about the context in which Franklin presented some of his work in science and in politics in 1751, and about the way that work was received in...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Robert Mankin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Association Française d'Etudes Américaines 2010-01-01
Series:Transatlantica
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/transatlantica/4654
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832580680714813440
author Robert Mankin
author_facet Robert Mankin
author_sort Robert Mankin
collection DOAJ
description Franklin’s discoveries in electricity have rewarded scholarly attention for many decades. This short essay is not about electricity in the strict sense, but about the context in which Franklin presented some of his work in science and in politics in 1751, and about the way that work was received in Britain. The aim of the essay is to suggest that Franklin was neither a child of the British or European Enlightenment nor one of its toys. And though he may have been touted very generally as an inspiration, he was closer to a foreign force with which, intellectually as well as a politically, it had to contend. This may help in explaining why he proved so considerable a foe to the British state.
format Article
id doaj-art-45669589a86b45b5b1f7aab5c1644a27
institution Kabale University
issn 1765-2766
language English
publishDate 2010-01-01
publisher Association Française d'Etudes Américaines
record_format Article
series Transatlantica
spelling doaj-art-45669589a86b45b5b1f7aab5c1644a272025-01-30T10:44:45ZengAssociation Française d'Etudes AméricainesTransatlantica1765-27662010-01-01210.4000/transatlantica.4654Electricity and Static: Franklin and his British compatriotsRobert MankinFranklin’s discoveries in electricity have rewarded scholarly attention for many decades. This short essay is not about electricity in the strict sense, but about the context in which Franklin presented some of his work in science and in politics in 1751, and about the way that work was received in Britain. The aim of the essay is to suggest that Franklin was neither a child of the British or European Enlightenment nor one of its toys. And though he may have been touted very generally as an inspiration, he was closer to a foreign force with which, intellectually as well as a politically, it had to contend. This may help in explaining why he proved so considerable a foe to the British state.https://journals.openedition.org/transatlantica/4654politicselectricitydemographicsFranklin BenjaminHume Davidscience
spellingShingle Robert Mankin
Electricity and Static: Franklin and his British compatriots
Transatlantica
politics
electricity
demographics
Franklin Benjamin
Hume David
science
title Electricity and Static: Franklin and his British compatriots
title_full Electricity and Static: Franklin and his British compatriots
title_fullStr Electricity and Static: Franklin and his British compatriots
title_full_unstemmed Electricity and Static: Franklin and his British compatriots
title_short Electricity and Static: Franklin and his British compatriots
title_sort electricity and static franklin and his british compatriots
topic politics
electricity
demographics
Franklin Benjamin
Hume David
science
url https://journals.openedition.org/transatlantica/4654
work_keys_str_mv AT robertmankin electricityandstaticfranklinandhisbritishcompatriots