Benjamin+Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was the discoverer of electricity. He also invented the Franklin Stove, the lightening rod, and the bifocals. He was also a patriot and a family man, and a thinker. Ben was a leading author and printer, satirist, political theorist, politician, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman and diplomat.


 * Born April 17, 1706
 * Died: April 17, 1790
 * Christian
 * [|Eulogy]
 * Died of natural causes

Benjamin Franklin was born on Milk Street on April 17, 1706. His parents wanted to send him to school with the clergy, but his father only had the money to send him to school for two years. Ben's schooling ended when he was 10. He worked for his father for some time, then became an apprentice to his brother James. He wrote letters to the papers under the pen name of Mrs. Silence Dogood, an alleged middle aged widow. his brother was not impressed when he found that Ben was the most popular corespondent in town. Ben ran away, thus becoming a fugitive. He ran away to Philadelphia to find a life in a new city. When he arrived, he did a whole lot of things, including working in a printing shop, starting his own newspaper, and creating libraries for the city. He married Deborah Read, whose former husband ran away. He then started to publish "Poor Richard's Almanac", which included tides, charts, and maxims. He sold about the thousand copies a year, which is about three million in today's standards. Also, there are his famous inventions. Among his many creations were the lightning rod, the glass harmonica, the Franklin stove, bifocal glasses, and the flexible urinary catheter. Franklin never patented his inventions, because as he said: "... as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously." Franklin is known to have played the violin, the harp, and the guitar. Later, the American Revolution started. Franklin played an important role in the war after the Battle of Saratoga, enlisting France's crucial aid that won the war. Ironically, he borrowed millions of francs from France, even though one of his most important maxims were about not borrowing money. Overall, Franklin was an important person to the world and America.

Interesting facts: When Franklin was minister to France, the French were awash in making Franklin memorabilia, esp. dressed as a frontiersman Ben appears in the video game Tony Hawk's Underground 2. He is a playable character after you play in his hometown of Boston. Other facts coming soon

Hope you enjoyed it, Don Cites: "Benjamin Franklin." Wikipedia. 25 Sep 2008 . "Deborah Franklin." Wikipedia. 25 Sep 2008 .