Benjamin Franklin

Early Life

Benjamin Franklin was one of the most well known founding fathers of the United States of America. He was born in Boston on January 17, 1706.

Although he attended a school at an early age, he did not attain a lot of formal education. Instead, he decided to start work as a printer’s apprentice at the young age of 12.

It was here that he was exposed to a lot of books and he developed a taste for reading. His reading habits would eventually introduce him to many fields such as politics, art, music, science and governance.

Benjamin Franklin as Writer and Inventor

Towards his later life, Benjamin Franklin became a prolific writer. He wrote many pamphlets and articles and actively took part in the American Revolution which began in 1775.

Benjamin Franklin – Electricity Lightning Rod

Among his most famous inventions is the lighting rod which he invented after he proved, for the first time, that lightning was actually electricity.

Ben Franklin Inventions

Benjamin Franklin also invented a kind of bifocals and a glass harmonica among other things. As a scientist, he researched different phenomenon such as electricity, the nature of light and new methods of printing.

Benjamin Franklin before American Revolution

This was a time when the British and the Americans were not on good terms. British kept imposing different taxes on the Americans and the Americans continued to oppose them. When the British imposed the Stamp Act on the American colonies in 1765, the colonists were angry and simply refused to pay the tax.

American newspapers actively opposed the tax and wrote against it. It was at this point that Benjamin Franklin became famous for the first time. He provided testimony to the British Parliament as one of the Americans representatives. His testimony was eventually helpful in repealing the Stamp Act.

Benjamin Franklin during American Revolution

The American Revolution began in 1775 and American colonies declared that they were independent from Britain. At the same time, they also elected a sort of parliament of their own which came to be known as the Continental Congress.

Benjamin Franklin ‘Declaration of Independence’

Benjamin Franklin was elected as the representative of the state of Pennsylvania in the Second Continental Congress. He was then chosen as one of the five men who had to draft the famous Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Towards the end of the American Revolutionary War, Benjamin Franklin was appointed as the American ambassador to France. He proved an excellent ambassador and thanks to him, the newly-born United States of America and France had very good relations.

Benjamin Franklin as a Renaissance man

Benjamin Franklin was often called a true Renaissance man. This was because he was immensely talented in many different fields.

He was not only an excellent writer and author, he was also an inventor, a scientist, a musician, a politician as well as an ambassador. He did a great job at being all of these things, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy in whatever he did.