You’ve probably heard a lot of facts about Benjamin Franklin. He was a founding father. He invented bifocals. He’s on the one hundred dollar bill. But did you know that he was electrocuted by a turkey?

It’s true. Benjamin thought that electrifying a turkey would make the meat “uncommonly tender.” So, one night in 1749, he tried to test his theory. He used a device called a Leyden jar to make an electric charge. But instead of electrifying the turkey, he accidentally shocked himself.

Benjamin shook. He went numb. He was sore for days. But he learned more about electricity.

This experiment-gone-wrong led to more experiments with electricity. In 1752, Benjamin tried to prove a connection between electricity and lightening. He flew a kite during a thunderstorm.

Did Benjamin discover electricity during this famous kite experiment? No. The kite wasn’t struck by lightning. Benjamin wasn’t electrocuted. But he did receive a small shock from static electricity. And he proved that lightning is electricity.

The kite experiment led to Benjamin’s invention of the lightning rod. This was a metal rod that could be put on a roof. The rod would attract lightning. The lightning would hit the rod instead of the house. This invention prevented a lot of fires.  

And just think – it all started with a turkey!