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benjamin
franklin
A highly Accomplished statesman, inventor, and writer, Benjamin
Franklin was one of the most remarkable Americans of his time. Born to a
poor Boston candlemaker, Franklin worked in his brother’s print shop. At
17, he ran away to philadelphia to open a shop of his own. Franklin became
philadelphia’s most famous citizen, with an endless list of achievements.
he founded the first public library, organized a hospital, and founded
a school that later became the University of pennsylvania. Franklin’s
experiments with electricity brought him acclaim throughout europe. he
used his fame to promote the interests of the American colonies, helping
persuade the British to repeal the stamp Act and convincing the French
to help the colonists fight the British in the American Revolution.A coloniAl stAtesmAn
during his long career as a politician, Franklin
spoke for the interests of the colonies, secured
the political and financial support of the
French government, and played a crucial
role in shaping both the declaration of
independence and the constitution. he spent
his later years negotiating treaties in France;
in 1783, his work on the peace of paris treaty
marked the end of the Revolutionary War.pooR RichARd’s AlmAnAck
For more than 25 years, Franklin
wrote this popular yearly calendar.
it had jokes, proverbs, and advice
on how to get on in the world from
Franklin’s humble, hard-working
character poor Richard.American revolution
colonial america
constitution
declaration of independence
presidencyFind out more
1706 Born in Boston,
massachusetts.
1718 Apprenticed to his
brother James, a printer.
1723 Runs away to
philadelphia to start
his own printing press.
1732 First edition of
Poor Richard’s Almanack
was published.
1752 publishes reports
on his experiments with
electricity.
1776 helps draft
the declaration of
independence.
1776 travels to France
as special Us envoy.
1787 Framer of the
Us constitution.
1790 dies in philadelphia.FRAnklin’s inventions
science and invention were two of Franklin’s
lifelong passions. Franklin’s experiments
with electricity—most famously his kite
experiment, which proved that lightning is
a form of electricity—amazed scientists and
led to his invention of the lightning rod,
which diverts lightning bolts away from
buildings. his other inventions included the
fuel-efficient Franklin stove, the bifocal lens
(a single lens with two different strengths),
and the odometer, a machine that measures
distances traveled when attached to a wheel.city oF BRotheRly love
With a population of more than
300,000, Franklin’s home, philadelphia
(from the greek for “brotherly love”),
was the largest city in the colonies.
Quaker William penn founded this
pennsylvanian settlement in 1682,
which developed into a bustling
port with a thriving textile and
shipbuilding trade. Franklin’s
gifts to the city include its
public library—where his
statue stands above a
doorway (right)—which
was the first circulating
library in America.Benjamin Franklin
wearing bifocals, his
own invention.Benjamin Franklin
accompanies George
Washington and John
Paul Jones into the
Constitutional
Convention in 1787.US_223_Franklin_Benjamin.indd 223 21/01/16 4:59 pm