Benjamin Franklin

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Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin helped draft the United States Declaration of Independence. He made important contributions to science, especially on electricity, and is also remembered for his writings.
In office
October 18, 1785 – November 5, 1788
Vice President
Preceded by John Dickinson
Succeeded by Thomas Mifflin
In office
September 28, 1782 – April 3, 1783
Appointed by Congress of the Confederation
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Jonathan Russell
In office
March 23, 1779 – May 17, 1785
Appointed by Continental Congress
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Thomas Jefferson
In office
July 26, 1775 – November 7, 1776
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Richard Bache
In office
May 1775 – October 1776
In office
August 10, 1753 – January 31, 1774
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Vacant
In office
May 1764 – October 1764
Preceded by Isaac Norris
Succeeded by Isaac Norris
In office
1749–1754
Succeeded by William Smith
Born 17 January 1706
Boston, Massachusetts Bay, British America
Died 17 April 1790 (aged 84)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Resting place Christ Church Burial Ground, Philadelphia
Political party Independent
Spouse(s) ∞ 1 September 1730 Deborah Read (1708 –1774)
Children William, Francis and Sarah

Benjamin Franklin (17 January 1706 – 17 Apri 1790) was one of the most important and influential Founding Fathers of the United States of America. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author and printer, satirist, political theorist, politician, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman and diplomat. As a scientist he was a major figure in the Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. He invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the Franklin stove, a carriage odometer, and a musical instrument. He formed both the first public lending library and fire department in America. He was an early proponent of colonial unity and as a political writer and activist he, more than anyone, invented the idea of an American nation[1] and as a diplomat during the American Revolution, he secured the French alliance that helped to make independence possible.

Life and politics

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Franklin learned printing from his older brother and became a newspaper editor, printer, and merchant in Philadelphia, becoming very wealthy, writing and publishing Poor Richard's Almanack and the Pennsylvania Gazette. As a young man (1732) in Philadelphia Ben Franklin published the first German language newspaper in America − The Philadelphische Zeitung − although it failed after only one year, because four other newly founded German papers quickly dominated the newspaper market.[2]

Franklin spent two months in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation in 1766, but his connections to the country stretched across a lifetime. He declared a debt of gratitude to German scientist Otto von Guericke for his early studies of electricity. Franklin also co-authored the first treaty of friendship between the German Kingdom of Prussia and the United States of America in 1785.

Franklin was interested in science and technology, and gained international renown for his famous experiments. He played a major role in establishing the University of Pennsylvania and Franklin & Marshall College and was elected the first president of the American Philosophical Society. Franklin became a national hero in America when he spearheaded the effort to have Parliament repeal the unpopular Stamp Act. An accomplished diplomat, he was widely admired among the French as American minister to Paris and was a major figure in the development of positive Franco-American relations. From 1775 to 1776, Franklin was Postmaster General under the Continental Congress and from 1785 to 1788 was President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania. Toward the end of his life, he became one of the most prominent abolitionists.

Franklin's colorful life and legacy of scientific and political achievement, and status as one of America's most influential Founding Fathers, has seen Franklin honored on coinage and money; warships; the names of many towns, counties, educational institutions, namesakes, and companies; and more than two centuries after his death, countless cultural references.

Timeline

  • 1706 He is born, in Boston, and baptized in the Old South Church.
  • 1714 At the age of eight, enters the Grammar School.
  • 1716 Becomes his father's assistant in the tallow-chandlery business.
  • 1718 Apprenticed to his brother James, printer.
  • 1721 Writes ballads and peddles them, in printed form, in the streets; contributes, anonymously, to the "New England Courant," and temporarily edits that paper; becomes a free-thinker, and a vegetarian.
  • 1723 Breaks his indenture and removes to Philadelphia; obtaining employment in Keimer's printing-office; abandons vegetarianism.
  • 1724 Is persuaded by Governor Keith to establish himself independently, and goes to London to buy type; works at his trade there, and publishes "Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain."
  • 1726 Returns to Philadelphia; after serving as clerk in a dry goods store, becomes manager of Keimer's printing-house.
  • 1727 Founds the Junto, or "Leathern Apron" Club.
  • 1728 With Hugh Meredith, opens a printing-office.
  • 1729 Becomes proprietor and editor of the "Pennsylvania Gazette"; prints, anonymously, "Nature and Necessity of a Paper Currency"; opens a stationer's shop.
  • 1730 Marries Rebecca Read.
  • 1731 Founds the Philadelphia Library.
  • 1732 Publishes the first number of "Poor Richard's Almanac" under the pseudonym of "Richard Saunders." The Almanac, which continued for twenty-five years to contain his witty, worldly-wise sayings, played a very large part in bringing together and molding the American character which was at that time made up of so many diverse and scattered types.
  • 1735 Begins to study French, Italian, Spanish, and Latin.
  • 1736 Chosen clerk of the General Assembly; forms the Union Fire Company of Philadelphia.
  • 1737 Elected to the Assembly; appointed Deputy Postmaster-General; plans a city police.
  • 1742 Invents the open, or "Franklin," stove.
  • 1743 Proposes a plan for an Academy, which is adopted 1749 and develops into the University of Pennsylvania.
  • 1744 Establishes the American Philosophical Society.
  • 1746 Publishes a pamphlet, "Plain Truth," on the necessity for disciplined defense, and forms a military company; begins electrical experiments.
  • 1748 Sells out his printing business; is appointed on the Commission of the Peace, chosen to the Common Council, and to the Assembly.
  • 1749 Appointed a Commissioner to trade with the Indians.
  • 1751 Aids in founding a hospital.
  • 1752 Experiments with a kite and discovers that lightning is an electrical discharge.
  • 1753 Awarded the Copley medal for this discovery, and elected a member of the Royal Society; receives the degree of M.A. from Yale and Harvard. Appointed joint Postmaster-General.
  • 1754 Appointed one of the Commissioners from Pennsylvania to the Colonial Congress at Albany; proposes a plan for the union of the colonies.
  • 1755 Pledges his personal property in order that supplies may be raised for Braddock's army; obtains a grant from the Assembly in aid of the Crown Point expedition; carries through a bill establishing a voluntary militia; is appointed Colonel, and takes the field.
  • 1757 Introduces a bill in the Assembly for paving the streets of Philadelphia; publishes his famous "Way to Wealth"; goes to England to plead the cause of the Assembly against the Proprietaries; remains as agent for Pennsylvania; enjoys the friendship of the scientific and literary men of the kingdom.
  • 1760 Secures from the Privy Council, by a compromise, a decision obliging the Proprietary estates to contribute to the public revenue.
  • 1762 Receives the degree of LL.D. from Oxford and Edinburgh; returns to America.
  • 1763 Makes a five months' tour of the northern colonies for the Purpose of inspecting the post-offices.
  • 1764 Defeated by the Penn faction for reelection to the Assembly; sent to England as agent for Pennsylvania.
  • 1765 Endeavors to prevent the passage of the Stamp Act.
  • 1766 Examined before the House of Commons relative to the passage of the Stamp Act; appointed agent of Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Georgia; visits Gottingen University.
  • 1767 Travels in France and is presented at court.
  • 1769 Procures a telescope for Harvard College.
  • 1772 Elected Associe Etranger of the French Academy.
  • 1774 Dismissed from the office of Postmaster-General; influences Thomas Paine to emigrate to America.
  • 1775 Returns to America; chosen a delegate to the Second Continental Congress; placed on the committee of secret correspondence; appointed one of the commissioners to secure the cooperation of Canada.
  • 1776 Placed on the committee to draft a Declaration of Independence; chosen president of the Constitutional Committee of Pennsylvania; sent to France as agent of the colonies.
  • 1778 Concludes treaties of defensive alliance, and of amity and commerce; is received at court.
  • 1779 Appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to France.
  • 1780 Appoints Paul Jones commander of the "Alliance."
  • 1782 Signs the preliminary articles of peace.
  • 1783 Signs the definite treaty of peace.
  • 1785 Returns to America; is chosen President of Pennsylvania; reelected 1786.
  • 1787 Reelected President; sent as delegate to the convention for framing a Federal Constitution.
  • 1788 Retires from public life.
  • 1790 April 17, dies. His grave is in the churchyard at Fifth and Arch streets, Philadelphia.[3]

Quotes

  • "The refusal of King George III to allow the colonies to operate an honest money system, which freed the ordinary man from the clutches of the money manipulators, was probably the prime cause of the revolution."

See also

External links

Encyclopedias

References

  1. ↑ Block, Seymour Stanton. Benjamin Franklin: America's Inventor from HistoryNet.com
  2. ↑ German Newspapers in the US and Canada
  3. ↑ Benjamin Franklin His Autobiography 1706-1757
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