A quick biography of benjamin franklin

Who Was Benjamin Franklin?

Benjamin Franklin was a Founding Father and a polymath, inventor, scientist, printer, politician, freemason and diplomat. Franklin helped to draft the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, and he negotiated the Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary War.

His scientific pursuits included investigations into electricity, mathematics and mapmaking. A writer known for his wit and wisdom, Franklin also published Poor Richard’s Almanack, invented bifocal glasses and organized the first successful American lending library.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Benjamin Franklin
BORN: January 17,
DIED: April 17,
BIRTHPLACE: Boston, Massachusetts
SPOUSE: Deborah Read ()
CHILDREN: William, Francis, Sarah
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Capricorn

Early Life

Franklin was born on January 17, , in Boston, in what was then known as the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Franklin’s father, English-born soap and candlemaker Josiah Franklin, had seven ch

•

Benjamin Franklin

American polymath and statesman (–)

"Ben Franklin" redirects here. For other uses, see Benjamin Franklin (disambiguation).

Benjamin Franklin FRS FRSA FRSE
Portrait by Joseph Duplessis,
In office October 18, &#;– November 5,
Vice President
Preceded by	John Dickinson
Succeeded by	Thomas Mifflin
In office September 28, &#;– April 3,
Appointed by	Congress of the Confederation
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Jonathan Russell
In office March 23, &#;– May 17,
Appointed by	Continental Congress
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Thomas Jefferson
In office July 26, &#;– November 7,
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Richard Bache
In office May &#;– October
In office August 10, &#;– January 31,
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Vacant
In office May &#;– October
Preceded • A Quick Biography of Benjamin Franklin Francis Folger Franklin, Ben's son. (Posthumous painting. Artist and date unknown) Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, He was the tenth son of soap maker, Josiah Franklin. Benjamin's mother was Abiah Folger, the second wife of Josiah. In all, Josiah would father 17 children. Josiah intended for Benjamin to enter into the clergy. However, Josiah could only afford to send his son to school for one year and clergymen needed years of schooling. But, as ung Benjamin loved to read he had him apprenticed to his brother James, who was a printer. After helping James compose pamphlets and set type which was grueling work, year-old Benjamin would sell their products in the streets. Apprentice Printer When Benjamin was 15 his brother started The New England Courant the first "newspaper" in Boston. Though there were two papers in the city before James's Courant, they only reprinted news from abroad. James's paper carried a