On June 10, 1752, Benjamin Franklin was said to have flown a kite
during a thunderstorm to collect ambient electrical charge in a
Leyden jar, enabling him to demonstrate the connection between lightning and electricity. Franklin became interested in electricity
in the mid-1740s, a time when much was still unknown on the topic,
and spent almost a decade conducting electrical experiments. He
coined a number of terms used today, including battery, conductor
and electrician. He also invented the lightning rod, used to protect buildings and ships.

Benjamin Franklin 
(January 6, 1706 – April 17, 1790)