Benjamin Franklin

One of the most interesting characters of the American Revolutionary era and the history of the fledgling United States of America is Benjamin Franklin. He was an important part of the revolution but he was also so much more. He was a writer, an inventor, a politician and statesman. He was an educator, thinker and reader even though he only went to school for two years. He was never the President of the United States of America, but he is more famous than some of them. At one time he was the richest man in America.

Ben Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 17, 1706. If he were still alive he would be 317 years old. He had 16 brothers and sisters. His dad had his own business making candles and soap but with 17 kids there was never much money. Ben loved to read and learn but when he was 10 his dad made him quit going to school. Parents had to pay tuition in those days or pay for a private tutor if they wanted their kids to learn. Ben’s dad made him work in the chandler’s shop from the time he was 10 until he was 12. That was when Ben’s dad apprenticed Ben to his brother. It was agreed that Ben would work for his brother for free and in exchange Ben’s brother would teach him how to be a printer. When Ben was 17 he ran away from Boston and ended up in Philadelphia. Where he would end up owning his own print business and newspaper.

Did you know?

Ben Franklin was very interested in anatomy. He had more portraits painted of himself than any other person from that time.

The state of Tennessee was originally called the state of Franklin.

He became an abolitionist and freed all of his slaves.

Although sailors discovered the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean Ben is given credit for mapping it.

Ben wanted the United States to have free public schools.

Being a curious person made Benjamin Franklin look at the world around him very carefully. He wanted to learn everything he could and when he encountered a problem he would work very hard to solve it. This is how Ben became an inventor. He invented bi-focal lenses for glasses. Another invention that is still used today is the Franklin Stove. For a very long time houses were warmed using fireplaces. The fireplaces were smoky and used a lot of wood. His new stove limited the smoke, put out more heat and used less wood. His most famous experiment was lightning. Ben had read about electricity and he thought lightning was a natural form of it. Ben invented the lightning rod after that day. Many houses got struck by lightning and caught fire so he thought if he could move the electrical current he could help stop the fires. Ben was so worried about house fires he even started the first volunteer fire department in America.

Learn how to draw Ben Franklin, see all the cool stuff he invented and learn more about the life of this amazing man from American History.

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Who Was Ben Franklin?

By Dennis Brindell Fradin

Ben and Me

By Robert Lawson Science Museum

The Ben Franklin Book of Easy and Incredible Experiments

By The Franklin Institute Science Museum