A secondary battery and method, with the secondary battery including a can having a polygonal section, and with the can having an opening portion of which one end is opened, and having a short side portion and a long side portion. The secondary battery includes an electrode assembly constructed by stacking a negative electrode plate, a separator and a positive electrode plate, with the electrode assembly being wound up in a jelly roll shape, pressed in a predetermined direction, and received in the can. The secondary battery further includes at least one electrode tap connected to a corresponding electrode plate of the electrode assembly and protruded toward an opening portion of the can from an outer circumferential portion of the electrode assembly, at the short side portion of the can.