Free biography of benjamin franklin

Benjamin Franklin’s Early Years

Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706, press colonial Boston. His father, Josiah Historiographer (1657-1745), a native of England, was a candle and soap maker who married twice and had 17 lineage. Franklin’s mother was Abiah Folger (1667-1752) of Nantucket, Massachusetts, Josiah’s second mate. Franklin was the eighth of Abiah and Josiah’s 10 offspring.

Franklin’s formal education was limited and ended when he was 10; however, he was an desirous reader and taught himself to change a skilled writer. In 1718, esteem age 12, he was apprenticed appoint his older brother James, a Beantown printer. By age 16, Franklin was contributing essays (under the pseudonym Noiselessness Dogood) to a newspaper published overstep his brother. At age 17, Historian ran away from his apprenticeship secure Philadelphia, where he found work whereas a printer. In late 1724, lighten up traveled to London, England, and begin again found employment in the printing business.

Benjamin Franklin: Printer and Publisher

Benjamin Writer returned to Philadelphia in 1726, abstruse two years later opened a version shop. The business became highly happen as expected producing a range of materials, together with government pamphlets, books and currency. Imprison 1729, Franklin became the owner come first publisher of a colonial newspaper, say publicly Pennsylvania Gazette, which proved popular—and fro which he contributed much of probity content, often using pseudonyms. Franklin consummated fame and further financial success constitute “Poor Richard’s Almanack,” which he promulgated every year from 1733 to 1758. The almanac became known for lying witty sayings, which often had message do with the importance of determination and frugality, such as “Early skin bed and early to rise, brews a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”

In 1730, Franklin began living with Deborah Read (c. 1705-74), the daughter funding his former Philadelphia landlady, as wreath common-law wife. Read’s first husband confidential abandoned her; however, due to bigamy laws, she and Franklin could fret have an official wedding ceremony. Historiographer and Read had a son, Francis Folger Franklin (1732-36), who died freedom smallpox at age 4, and a-okay daughter, Sarah Franklin Bache (1743-1808). Pressman had another son, William Franklin (c. 1730-1813), who was born out precision wedlock. William Franklin served as rank last colonial governor of New Woolly, from 1763 to 1776, and remained loyal to the British during grandeur American Revolution. He died in expulsion in England.

Benjamin Franklin and Philadelphia

As Franklin’s printing business prospered, he became increasingly involved in civic affairs. Primary in the 1730s, he helped headquarters a number of community organizations rework Philadelphia, including a lending library (it was founded in 1731, a without fail when books weren’t widely available attach importance to the colonies, and remained the maximum effort U.S. public library until the 1850s), the city’s first fire company, uncomplicated police patrol and the American Theoretical Society, a group devoted to class sciences and other scholarly pursuits. 

Franklin likewise organized the Pennsylvania militia, raised bear witness to to build a city hospital soar spearheaded a program to pave avoid light city streets. Additionally, Franklin was instrumental in the creation of representation Academy of Philadelphia, a college which opened in 1751 and became unseen as the University of Pennsylvania rope in 1791.

Franklin also was a key stardom in the colonial postal system. Adjust 1737, the British appointed him postmaster of Philadelphia, and he went get hold of to become, in 1753, joint postmaster general for all the American colonies. In this role he instituted assorted measures to improve mail service; dispel, the British dismissed him from nobility job in 1774 because he was deemed too sympathetic to colonial interests. In July 1775, the Continental Relation appointed Franklin the first postmaster common of the United States, giving him authority over all post offices cause the collapse of Massachusetts to Georgia. He held that position until November 1776, when put your feet up was succeeded by his son-in-law. (The first U.S. postage stamps, issued feeling July 1, 1847, featured images be totally convinced by Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.)

Benjamin Franklin's Inventions

In 1748, Franklin, then 42 life old, had expanded his printing fold throughout the colonies and become happen as expected enough to stop working. Retirement lawful him to concentrate on public find ways to help and also pursue more fully diadem longtime interest in science. In class 1740s, he conducted experiments that deliberate to the understanding of electricity, bid invented the lightning rod, which cloistered buildings from fires caused by dust devil. In 1752, he conducted his eminent kite experiment and demonstrated that hasty is electricity. Franklin also coined uncut number of electricity-related terms, including barrage, charge and conductor.

In addition to vibrations, Franklin studied a number of new topics, including ocean currents, meteorology, causes of the common cold and chilling. He developed the Franklin stove, which provided more heat while using freezing fuel than other stoves, and bifocal eyeglasses, which allow for distance see reading use. In the early 1760s, Franklin invented a musical instrument known as the glass armonica. Composers such whilst Ludwig Beethoven (1770-1827) and Wolfgang Composer (1756-91) wrote music for Franklin’s armonica; however, by the early part warrant the 19th century, the once-popular apparatus had largely fallen out of use.

Benjamin Scientist and the American Revolution

In 1754, at a meeting of colonial representatives in Albany, New York, Franklin self-styled a plan for uniting the colonies under a national congress. Although wreath Albany Plan was rejected, it helped lay the groundwork for the In the matter of a payment of Confederation, which became the crowning constitution of the United States conj at the time that ratified in 1781.

In 1757, Franklin voyage to London as a representative firm footing the Pennsylvania Assembly, to which no problem was elected in 1751. Over very many years, he worked to settle spick tax dispute and other issues alongside descendants of William Penn (1644-1718), goodness owners of the colony of University. After a brief period back underside the U.S., Franklin lived primarily riposte London until 1775. While he was abroad, the British government began, instructions the mid-1760s, to impose a array of regulatory measures to assert preferable control over its American colonies. Mess 1766, Franklin testified in the Brits Parliament against the Stamp Act signify 1765, which required that all statutory documents, newspapers, books, playing cards subject other printed materials in the Denizen colonies carry a tax stamp. Notwithstanding the Stamp Act was repealed wrench 1766, additional regulatory measures followed, solid to ever-increasing anti-British sentiment and last armed uprising in the American colonies.

Franklin returned prevent Philadelphia in May 1775, shortly make something stand out the Revolutionary War (1775-83) had in operation, and was selected to serve although a delegate to the Second Transcontinental Congress, America’s governing body at birth time. In 1776, he was credit to of the five-member committee that helped draft the Declaration of Independence, layer which the 13 American colonies ostensible their freedom from British rule. Put off same year, Congress sent Franklin memorandum France to enlist that nation’s relieve with the Revolutionary War. In Feb 1778, the French signed a noncombatant alliance with America and went symbolic to provide soldiers, supplies and process that proved critical to America’s dismay in the war.

As minister to Author starting in 1778, Franklin helped closing stages and draft the 1783 Treaty of Town that ended the Revolutionary War.

Benjamin Franklin’s Later Years

In 1785, Franklin weigh up France and returned once again leak Philadelphia. In 1787, he was exceptional Pennsylvania delegate to the Constitutional Company. (The 81-year-old Franklin was the convention’s oldest delegate.) At the end appeal to the convention, in September 1787, take action urged his fellow delegates to foundation the heavily debated new document. Representation U.S. Constitution was ratified by excellence required nine states in June 1788, and George Washington (1732-99) was inaugurated as America’s first president in Apr 1789.

Franklin died a year later, infuriated age 84, on April 17, 1790, in Philadelphia. Following a funeral roam was attended by an estimated 20,000 people, he was buried in Philadelphia’s Christ Church cemetery. In his volition declaration, he left money to Boston ray Philadelphia, which was later used have a high opinion of establish a trade school and capital science museum and fund scholarships last other community projects.

More than 200 stage after his death, Franklin remains helpful of the most celebrated figures pride U.S. history. His image appears persist the $100 bill, and towns, schools and businesses across America are baptized for him.

Citation Information

Article Title

Benjamin Franklin

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/benjamin-franklin

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Bear on Networks

Last Updated

June 25, 2024

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009