The Kite That Won the Revolution PDF
Preview The Kite That Won the Revolution
will MUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT 2 0000 00228 ‘The KITE that Won the Illustrated by V ictor Mays Isaac Asimov The KITE that WON the REOLEY T ON How could it be that a middle-aged man flying a kite in a thunderstorm should bring down with it not only the lightning but victory for the American Colonies in the Revolution? To find the answer, Isaac Asimov goes back to the prehistoric pine forests of northern Europe and a substance called amber; to the Greek philosophers who named it elektron and to the laboratories of eighteenth Century Europe where scientists were trying to explain why this “‘elektron’’ had such extraordinary magical powers. His search leads him from the frontiers of the New World to the frontiers of | | | science; from the shores of the Delaware to the | courts of France and England. Moving expertly from scientific to political history, Professor Asimov builds a fascinating case for Benjamin Franklin’s crucial role in winning the American Revolution. For Franklin was almost the only American at the time who had a reputation in Europe. It was Franklin who had harnessed the awful power of the thunderstorm and whose lightning rods were protecting buildings all over Europe. If any American had the stature to persuade France to lend help to the Colonies it was the plain- speaking, peaceable hero from Philadelphia. By bringing together many diverse strands from history, this book focuses a fresh beam of light on our past. Even more important, it also shows that more history is made in the laboratory than on the battlefield. aan unity College, Ages 11 up ¥4 ry $3.00 LIBRARY Riverside, California Toe ty “ s C, e . JO : PaE | Fe ") + a ‘ti “a J (bay PRINTER IN U.S A. Digitized by the Internet Archive In 2022 with funding from Kahle/Austin Foundation https://archive.org/details/kitethatwonrevolOO00asim Th KITE that Won the REVOLUTION Other Houghton Mifilin books by Isaac Asimov Breakthroughs in Science Realm of Numbers Realm of Measure Realm of Algebra Words of Science Words on the Map Words from the Myths Words in Genesis Words from the Exodus apo IM IE IP le ‘y that Won the ‘W Roge WOREIBE IMEOMI N| Isaac Asimov Illustrated by Victor Mays HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY BOSTON The Riverside Press Cambridge Riverside City College Library Riverside, California [email protected] AB 1963 Asimov, Isaac, 1928-199e. The kite that won the Revolution. SECOND PRINTING Cc COPYRIGHT ©) 1963 By ISAAC ASIMOV ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO REPRODUCE THIS BOOK OR PARTS THEREOF IN ANY FORM LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOG CARD NUMBER: 63-15272 PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. GeO sINe ee INS France to the Rescue! Gold from the Sea The Ball of Sulfur The Two Fluids The Shocking Jar The Self-Made Man Positive and Negative The Hammer of Thor The Pointed Umbrella oOHDWBWNYOROowOD The Idea of Union 101 Failure in England LZ Success in France 2 —_YEO eOe 13 The Nation Completed 136 Postscript A Hundred Years Later 144
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