Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin

Picture of Benjamin Franklin

This article on  the biography and life of Benjamin Franklin provides facts and information about:

  • Who was Benjamin Franklin?
  • What was his involvement in the American Revolutionary War?
  • What was his involvement in creating the United States of America?
  • Life and Biography of Benjamin Franklin
  • Interesting facts and fast information about the working class man who helped to draw up the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution
  • Educational resource for teachers and kids
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Colonization of America and interesting facts about the life of Benjamin Franklin one of the "Framers of the Constitution"

Short Biography about Benjamin Franklin
This article contains a short biography and fast facts and information about Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706 - April 17, 1790). Who was Benjamin Franklin and why was he famous?

Benjamin Franklin was was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and helped to draw up the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Franklin was a printer, inventor, author, statesman, and scientist. As a scientist he is remembered particularly for his research in electricity. Benjamin Franklin played a major role in the American Revolution and negotiated French support for the colonists.

Facts about Benjamin Franklin
The following facts about Benjamin Franklin provide interesting facts and an overview and description of the life and times and his involvement in the American Revolutionary War.

Facts about Benjamin Franklin

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 1Benjamin Franklin was born on Milk Street, in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 17, 1706

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 2His parents names were Josiah Franklin and Abiah Folger. His father was an impoverished candle maker (chandler) and struggled to bring up his 17 children

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 3Benjamin Franklin was the fifteenth of the seventeen children and his working class family had little money to spare to pay for a formal education. He attended Boston Latin School for only 2 years, but became self-educated through reading

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 4Benjamin started work in his father's shop when he was just ten years old.

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 5When he was 12 years old he was apprenticed to his brother James who was a Boston printer. Benjamin Franklin had free access to many books and became extremely well read.

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 6The New-England Courant was printed by James Franklin. Ben was not allowed to write for the paper and fell out with his brother when he was discovered to be the author of a series of letter that were printed in the paper he pseudonym of "Mrs. Silence Dogood", a middle-aged widow.

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 7The argument was so severe that he ran away to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 8Whilst in Philadelphia he worked for various printers and was persuaded to go to London on behalf of one of the printers

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 9He arrived in London in 1724 and worked as a typesetter in the Smithfield area of London

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 10He returned to Philadelphia in 1726 and established his own printing business publishing the Pennsylvania Gazette and Poor Richard's Almanack.

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 11The business was highly successful and Benjamin Franklin became a wealthy man.

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 12In 1727 Benjamin Franklin established the Junto which was the name of a discussion group for issues of the day.

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 13In 1731 he developed the idea of a subscription library, which would become the Library Company of Philadelphia: its charter was composed by Franklin in 1731.

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 14In 1732, he hired the first American librarian called Louis Timothee.

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 15In 1740 Benjamin Franklin created his first major invention,  the Pennsylvania fireplace, which eventually became known as the Franklin stove. 

Facts about Benjamin Franklin

 

Benjamin Franklin - Founding Father of the United States of America


He was one of the seven, key political leaders and statesmen who became a Founding Father of the United States of America. The seven Founding Fathers were George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.

The seven key "Founding Fathers" were either the "Signers of the Declaration of Independence" or the "Framers of the Constitution". Ben Franklin was one of the key seven Founding Fathers who signed the Declaration of Independence.

Facts about Benjamin Franklin

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 16In 1743 Benjamin Franklin founded the American Philosophical Society to help scientific men discuss their discoveries and theories.

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 17In 1746 he saw a demonstration of machine that was used to create a static electric charge that initiated his interest in electricity

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 18His other inventions included the lightning rod and bifocal glasses

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 19In 1747 he retired from printing and went into other businesses manufacturing some of his new inventions

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 20Franklin became involved in Philadelphia politics and rapidly progressed. In October 1748, he was selected as a councilman, in June 1749 he became a Justice of the Peace for Philadelphia

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 21In 1750 Benjamin Franklin published a paper that speculated that lightning was electricity. He proposed an experiment by flying a kite in a storm to to demonstrate that lightning was electrical and prove his theory was correct

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 22Benjamin Franklin's electrical experiments led to his invention of the lightning rod.

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 23In 1751 he was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly.
 
 
 Benjamin Franklin Fact 24Benjamin Franklin became Postmaster of Philadelphia, and established a college that eventually became the University of Pennsylvania.

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 25In 1756, he organized the Pennsylvania Militia

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 26In 1757 Benjamin Franklin was sent to England by the Pennsylvania Assembly to protest against the political influence of the Penn family who the proprietors of the Pennsylvania colony.

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 27He opposed the 1765 Stamp Act and became involved in radical political movements. He spoke before the House of Commons in early 1766 about the Stamp Act clearly stating that any attempt to enforce the Stamp Act by the use of troops might bring on rebellion. He called for the repeal of the Act.

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 28The Boston Tea Party took place on on Thursday December 16, 1773. There were many Americans who were not in favor of the unlawful actions taken in Boston by destroying private property. Benjamin Franklin stated that the destroyed tea must be repaid

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 29The American Revolution started in 1775. On July 26, 1775, the Second Continental Congress established the United States Post Office and named Benjamin Franklin as the first United States Postmaster General.

 Benjamin Franklin Fact 30The Committee of Five was appointed by the Second Continental Congress drafted what became known as America's Declaration of Independence and was signed on July 4, 1776. The members of the Committee of Five were:
  • Thomas Jefferson
  • John Adams
  • Roger Sherman
  • Robert Livingston
  • Benjamin Franklin

The Committee of Five
Sherman, Franklin, Jefferson, Adams, and Livingston

 Fact 31On September 14, 1778 he was appointed American representative in France and negotiated French support for the colonists

 
 Fact 32Benjamin Franklin helped create the Peace Treaty of Paris 1783 with John Adams and John Jay which ended the American Revolution in 1783

 Fact 33In 1787 he served as a delegate to the Philadelphia Convention.

 Fact 34Benjamin Franklin died in Philadelphia on April 17, 1790, at the age of 84.

 Fact 35Approximately 20,000 people attended his funeral

Facts about Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin
The life and biography is presented in a short, easy fact file format that is highly suitable for kids. The facts about  are a fast and accurate way to gain a good understanding of the life of this famous man who played a major role in the American Revolutionary War.

The facts include the major events in the life of Benjamin Franklin together with important dates and details of his family. He was was one of the Founding Fathers of the US and helped to draw up the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. He was a printer, inventor, author, statesman, and scientist. As a scientist he is remembered particularly for his research in electricity. He played a major role in the American Revolution and negotiated French support for the colonists.

Benjamin Franklin

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