Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was an American author, scientist, printer, philosopher, and diplomat. His numerous contributions to the American Revolution and the recently structured government that preceded, make him one the best known United States statesman.

Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts. His parents were Josiah Franklin, a soap and candle maker, and Abiah Folger Franklin. Out of 17 children, Ben was the 15th child and 10th son. As a child, Ben would read by the light of crooked candles, for these candles couldn't be sold. His favorite book was the "Pilgrim's Progress." Ben attended the Boston Grammar School and Mr. Brownell's School for Writing and Arithmetic for a few years. Then he was taken out of school to help his father with his business. Since Benjamin hated making candles, his father decided that Ben would be an apprentice to his brother James, who was a printer.

In 1721 when Ben was about 14 years old, James started his own newspaper called the "New England Courant." Benjamin wrote articles for the paper and had them published anonymously. His articles received much praise from liberal men of the city. One of the articles printed in the "Courant" angered the Massachusetts Assembly and James was taken to jail for a month. During this time, Benjamin managed the paper.

Because of his constant arguments with James, Benjamin left Boston and went to Philadelphia in 1723. Ben made many new friends and found good jobs in his first year. He befriended Sir William Keith, governor of Pennsylvania, who encouraged Ben to go to London, purchase a printer and go into business. Ben did as he said, but never received money for the printer form Keith. Penniless he earned enough money to come back to Philadelphia and returned to printing in1726. In the next few years Benjamin organized the American Philosophical Society and bought the Pennsylvania Gazette, a boring newspaper, and made it interesting and educative. In 1730 he married Deborah Read

In 1932 he published "Poor Richard's Almanac" under the alias, Richard Saunders. It soon became the most popular book of its kind, with its sensible wisdom and witty lines. Franklin also helped clean up the city of Philadelphia. He worked to get the streets paved, introduced the idea of streetcleaners, and made improvements in street lighting. He established the first public library in 1731, which later became known as the Philadelphia Library. At this time many people had a "Franklin Stove" which used less fuel and produced greater heat without as much smoke. Franklin began his electrical experiments in 1747. He produced a method that could prove that lighting is an electrical phenomenon. This was his famous experiment with a kite. He then invented the lightning rod and the "one-fluid" theory, which involves the discovery of two kinds of electricity, positive and negative.

Benjamin was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1750 until 1764. In 1753, he was the deputy postmaster for the colonies and a delegate at the Albany Congress of 1754. From 1757 to 1762 he lived in England as the chief representative of the colonies. During these five years Franklin made friends with many respected Englishmen, such as Joseph Priestley, David Hume, and Adam Smith. Franklin was sent to England again in 1764, where he stayed for eleven years. As time went by, he became more convinced that war was inevitable. When he returned, he was appointed postmaster general and a member of the Second Continental Congress.

Franklin was chosen as one of the five men to draft the Declaration of Independence and also signed the document. In 1775, along with two other men, he was sent to France to ask for economical assistance. His reputation, wisdom, and personality made him very popular with the people of France He contracted a treaty of alliance with France on February 6, 1778. In 1781, Franklin helped John Adams and John Jay complete a peace treaty with England. On September 3, 1783 the finished treaty was signed at Versailles, France. Until the end of his stay, Franklin met with philosophers and encouraged the movements to start the French Revolution.