Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, was born January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts. He had many jobs throughout his lifetime including author, printer, inventor, scientist, postmaster, political theorist, statesman, diplomat, and civic activist. As a scientist he made significant contributions to the history of physics and American innovation through his experiments and discoveries with electricity. He also gave important credibility to the forming American nation through his work as an author, spokesman in London, and as the first American ambassador to France. Franklin defined his vision of what a true American should be, reconciling practical values such as hard work, saving, education, self-sufficient …show more content…
He was born on a small house on 17 Milk Street, across the street from the Old Meeting House. His father was Josiah Franklin, soap and candle maker. His mother was Abiah Folger, a homemaker. Franklin was raised as a Presbyterian. Josiah Franklin, had seven children with first wife, Anne Child, and after 10 more with second wife, Abiah Folger. Ben was his 15th child and youngest son.
Ben learned to read at an early age, and despite his success at the Boston Latin School, he stopped his formal schooling at 10 to work in his father’s candle and soap shop. Dipping wax and cutting wicks didn’t inspire him much.Tired of his brother’s “harsh” behavior, Ben fled Boston in 1723 although he had three years remaining on a legally binding contract with his master. He moved to New York before settling in Philadelphia and started working with another printer. Philadelphia became his home for the rest of his …show more content…
Franklin helped draft the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, and he negotiated the 1783 Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary War. His scientific pursuits included investigations into electricity, mathematics and mapmaking. A writer known for his wisdom, Franklin also published Poor Richard’s Almanack, invented bifocal glasses and organized the first successful American lending library. Benjamin liked to work hard and did many inventions like the Franklin stove,Franklin’s first invention, created around 1740, provided more heat with less fuel.,Bifocals, Franklin developed bifocals that could be used for both distance and reading., Armonica. Franklin’s inventions took on a musical route in 1761, he worked hard on the development on the armonica, a musical instrument composed of spinning glass bowls on a shaft. The Gulf Stream, after his return trip across the Atlantic Ocean from London in 1775. He began to wonder about why the westbound always took longer, and his measurements of temperatures of the sea led to his discovery of the existence of the Gulf Stream. This knowledge served two weeks off the previous sailing time to North America. Franklyn created much more like Rocking chair,- Flexible, catheter,and American penny. Benjamin Franklin and Electricity- In 1752, Benjamin Franklin conducted the famous kite-and-key experiment