Benjamin Franklin Invented...

Circadian Rhythms

Added Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Prior to 1763 people slept whenever they felt; there was no general pattern to wakefulness and sleep. Daily life in the American Colonies (and elsewhere in the world for that matter) was a chaotic mix of some people busily working while others drifted in and out of sleep. This was particularly true in the larger cities such as Philadelphia. Benjamin Franklin, however, was sure that there was a better way of life - a more orderly pattern conducive to health, wisdom and prosperity. While browsing the books in his library one day he happened upon an article regarding a tribe in the British colony of Circadia which possessed an almost magical technique of drumming which would put their enemies into a trance and slowly into a deep sleep. Ben studied the technique of these "Circadian Rhythms," as they were known, and their ability to make a person suddenly drowsy. Meanwhile the British had been taxing the import of lamp oil heavily and the patriots were looking for ways to reduce their dependence on this expensive commodity. In October of 1763 the Pennsylvania Governing Forum met and Ben Franklin proposed a curfew in Philadelphia, and in order to get people to fall asleep he had the brilliant idea of training wandering percussionists to play Circadian Rhythms in the streets at night, thus naturally bringing the citizens into a state of slumber. The proposal was adopted and over the course of the next few weeks it was put into action. This curfew idea spread to the other cities and towns of the American colonies and soon back to the Old World. However after a number of generations the tendency to grow sleepy at night became ingrained into the human instinct and the need for the drummers slowly diminished.