He was always looking for ways to improve everyday life. He invented simple items such as the long arm, a device composed of a mechanical claw to grasp objects, to reach books on higher shelves. Franklin also invented the stepping stool, swim fins, and the glass harmonica. Devices that required a longer process included his own version of the odometer, bifocals, and the Franklin stove. All of these were things that Franklin invented to benefit his everyday life. The odometer was intended to track the distance he travelled by carriage. He suffered from a condition called presbyopia; therefore, he invented the bifocals to allow him to see more clearly. The Franklin stove was one of the most effective methods of warming a home with the least production of smoke. The fireplace was set in the middle of a room, and “the iron walls even absorbed heat, providing warmth to the room long after the fire went out”. Franklin never patented any of his inventions. Although he did not make the money from them, he still receives the credit for creating each of the …show more content…
As a member of the Continental Congress, Franklin was a member of the committee in charge of drafting the crucial document. The document needed to get the United States’ point across effectively without causing anymore unnecessary arguments. Thomas Jefferson was put to the task of writing it, and Franklin was one of the people to review his draft. Both he and John Adams edited the draft. They deleted areas that were likely to “meet with controversy or skepticism” in order to avoid further conflict with Britain. The draft edited by Franklin and Adams became the final draft of the Declaration of Independence and was accepted by the Congress on July 4,