Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston in 1706, the fifteenth child of a candlemaker. He became a well-known printer in Philadelphia and an active leader in the city. He published Poor Richard's Almanack between 1732 and 1758 and his Autobiography in 1818. Through these he gained literary distinction. In the Almanack he shared bits of wisdom with readers and pithy sayings which helped shape the American character. he founded the first privately supported circulating library in America, in Philadelphia. Franklin was a member of the committee which wrote the Declaration of Independence but spent most of the period of the American Revolution in France. He represented the colonies as the American envoy starting in 1776 and remained until 1785. He negotiated the alliance with France and then the Treaty of Paris which ended the war. He also participated in the U.S. Constitutional Convention in 1787, and earned distinction as the oldest delegate in attendance.
Franklin's many talents earned him a reputation as "the first civilized American." In addition to his political activities, he supported education and was considered a gifted scientist without a peer in the colonies. He proved that lightning was a form of electricity, a discovery that earned him international fame. He also invented bifocal glasses, lightning rods, and the Franklin stove.
Additional Information Can Be Found At...
The World of Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin - American Statesman and Inventor
Heroes of the Revolution - Benjamin Franklin
Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids
Sparks' Life Of Benjamin Franklin: Index Page