Bits of Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)
Ben stands alone as the only person to have signed all four of the
documents which helped to create the United States: the Declaration of
Independence (1776)
Many have benefited greatly from study and research at the library,
founder of the first library in America Ben Franklin, age 25 - Founder of
the US mail, Ben Franklin, age 31 - One of the first to harness the power
of electricity age 40 - Founder of the Ivy League University Campus, in
order to make Philadelphia a safer city, he started the Union Fire Company
in 1736. A few years later, in 1752, he set up America's first fire
insurance company., Ben Franklin age 45 - Many people that read with the
aid of bifocals, inventor Ben Franklin age 79 - died at age 84, Ben
Franklin, conversationalist, philosopher, diplomat, economist, writer,
publisher, inventor, spoke and wrote 5 languages, had only 2 years of
formal schooling. All of you have more formal education than Ben Franklin,
Do you have a goal?
1706 Born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 17
1718 Begins an apprenticeship in his brother James' printing shop in
Boston
1723 Age 17, leaves his family, running away to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1724 Moves to London, continuing his training as a printer
1726 Returns to Philadelphia
1728 Opens his own Printing Office in Philadelphia
1729 Becomes sole owner and publisher of the Pennsylvania Gazette
1730 Marries Deborah Read Rogers
1731 Birth of Ben's son William; Founds the first Circulating Library
1732 Birth of Ben's son Francis
1732- Annually, publishes Poor Richard: An Almanack
1758
1736 Death of Ben's young son Francis; Founds the Union Fire Company in
Philadelphia
1737 Appointed Postmaster of Philadelphia
1742 Proposes the idea for the University of Pennsylvania
1743 Birth of Ben's daughter Sarah, also known as "Sally"
1745 Death of Ben's father, Josiah Franklin
1747 First writings of electrical experimentation; organizes the first
Militia
1748 Sells printing office, retiring from business
1751 His book Experiments and Observations on Electricity is published in
London
1752 In June, performs famous kite experiment; Death of Ben's mother,
Abiah Folger Franklin; Founds first American fire insurance company
1757- Travels in London as representative of
1762 the Pennsylvania Assembly
1762 Returns to Philadelphia
1764 Travels to London
1767 Travels to France
1769 Elected president of the American Philosophical Society
1774 The Hutchinson Letters Affair damages Franklin's reputation; While in
London, Ben receives word of his wife's death
1775 Returns to Philadelphia; Elected to Continental Congress; Submits
Articles of Confederation of United Colonies
1776 Signs the Declaration of Independence; Presides at Pennsylvania
Constitutional Convention; Sails to France as American Commissioner
1778 Negotiates and signs Treaty of Alliance with France
1779 Appointed Minister to France
1782 Negotiates, with John Adams and John Jay, the Treaty of Peace with
Great Britain
1783 While in Paris, watches the Montgolfier brothers become the first men
to fly in a balloon
1784 Negotiates treaties with Prussia and other European countries
1785 Returns to Philadelphia
1787 Elected president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the
Abolition of Slavery; Serves as delegate to the Constitutional Convention
1790 At age 84, Benjamin Franklin dies in Philadelphia on April 17
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