Early Life

Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17,1706, in Boston. He was the youngest son of Josiah and Abiah. In 1717, he invented a pair of swimming fins for his hands. Ben became a vet in 1722.

Family

He got married to Deborah Reed Rogers on September 1,1730. In 1732, he had his first born son named Francis. Sadly, his brother died in 1735. In 1736, there was another death in the family because his son Francis died of smallpox when he was four. He had a daughter named Sally in 1743. Unfortunatly, his father died in 1735.

Later Life

Ben received honorary degrees from both Yale and Harvard in 1759. He was elected delegate of Pennsylvania in1775. From1783-1784 he invented the bifocals. He signed the Constitution in 1787. On April 17, 1790 he died at the age of 84. Twenty thousand mourners attended his funeral at Philadelphia's Christ Church Burial Ground.