The Mom I Want to Be

This elder statesman of the American Revolution was born in 1706. He was the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Franklin was also a scientist, diplomat, author, printer, publisher, philosopher, philanthropist, and inventor.

 

One of the things Franklin invented was a musical instrument called the “armonica.” Franklin’s inspiration for the instrument came during a visit to London in 1757, where musical compositions were performed on drinking glasses of various sizes arranged in a row and filled with varying amounts of water. This gave each glass a different pitch. Franklin created a new form of the instrument capable of more tones, and that was easier to play.

 

Build your own armonica by filling different sized glasses with varying amounts of water. Slide your finger around each rim and listen to the music each glass makes.

 

To learn more about Benjamin Franklin, go to Ben’s Guide.