Benjamin Franklin: Difference between revisions

Benjamin Franklin
	Portrait of Benjamin Franklin
Born	January 17, 1706; Boston, Province of Massachusetts Bay, British America
Died	April 17, 1790 (aged 84); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Nationality	American
Political affiliation	Nonpartisan (colonial/early national period)
Spouse	Deborah Read (m. 1730–1774)
Children	William Franklin; Francis Folger Franklin (died in childhood); Sarah Franklin Bache
Occupation(s)	Printer, author, inventor, scientist, diplomat, statesman
Major offices	U.S. Minister to France (1778–1785); President (Governor) of Pennsylvania (1785–1788); Postmaster General (1775–1776)
Known for	Electricity experiments; lightning rod; bifocals; Franklin stove; postal reforms; civic institutions; Poor Richard’s Almanack

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Latest revision as of 01:45, 17 August 2025

Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706 – April 17, 1790) was an American polymath—printer, writer, inventor, scientist, diplomat, and statesman—widely regarded as one of the most influential Founding Fathers of the United States. He helped draft the Declaration of Independence, secured crucial French aid during the American Revolutionary War, and later guided compromise at the Constitutional Convention.

Early Life and Printing Career

Born in Boston as the fifteenth of seventeen children, Franklin apprenticed in his brother’s print shop and moved to Philadelphia as a young journeyman. He founded a successful press, published the Pennsylvania Gazette, and wrote Poor Richard’s Almanack, celebrated for practical wit and maxims. Prosperity enabled far-reaching civic projects: a subscription library, a volunteer fire company, improved street lighting, and support for schools and hospitals.

Science and Invention

Franklin became famous for experiments with electricity. He proposed the single-fluid theory, coined terms like battery and conductor, and demonstrated the identity of lightning and electricity—leading to the practical lightning rod. He also devised bifocal lenses and the Franklin stove. To promote inquiry he helped found the American Philosophical Society.

Civic Leadership and Colonial Politics

In Philadelphia, Franklin served as postmaster and pushed urban improvements. As a colonial agent in London for Pennsylvania and other colonies, he at first sought imperial reform. Britain’s postwar taxation policies and limits on self-government shifted him from reformer to leading advocate of colonial rights.

Revolution and Diplomacy

A delegate to the Second Continental Congress, Franklin helped draft and signed the Declaration of Independence (1776). Dispatched to Paris as U.S. Minister to France, he won financial and military support indispensable to victory, secured the Treaty of Alliance (1778), and later helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris (1783) ending the war.

Constitution and Later Years

Returning home, Franklin served as President (Governor) of Pennsylvania and as the oldest delegate at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. His tactful speeches urged compromise to ensure union. In his final years he championed abolition, submitting a petition to Congress against slavery in 1790.

Legacy

Franklin’s blend of practical ingenuity, civic spirit, and diplomatic skill made him a lasting emblem of American possibility. His institutions—libraries, postal networks, and learned societies—endured, his inventions saved lives, and his writing shaped public culture.

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 |-
-! colspan="2" style="background:#dce6f2; text-align:center; font-size:110%; font-weight:bold;" | Benjamin Franklin
+! colspan="2" style="background:#0b2c5f; color:#fff; text-align:center; font-size:120%; font-weight:bold;" | Benjamin Franklin
 |-
 | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | [[File:Benjamin Franklin by Joseph-Siffred Duplessis 1778.jpg|280px|Portrait of Benjamin Franklin]]
 |-
 ! Born
-| {{Birth date|1706|1|17}}<br>Boston, Province of Massachusetts Bay, British America
+| January 17, 1706; Boston, Province of Massachusetts Bay, British America
 |-
 ! Died
-| {{Death date and age|1790|4|17|1706|1|17}}<br>Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
+| April 17, 1790 (aged 84); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
 |-
-! Occupations
+! Nationality
-| Printer, author, inventor, scientist, diplomat, statesman, philosopher
+| American
 |-
-! Notable works
+! Political affiliation
-| ''Poor Richard’s Almanack''; ''The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin''
+| Nonpartisan (colonial/early national period)
 |-
-! Known for
+! Spouse
-| Lightning rod; bifocals; Franklin stove; electricity experiments; civic founding of libraries and fire brigades; diplomacy in the American Revolution
+| Deborah Read (m. 1730–1774)
+|-
+! Children
+| William Franklin; Francis Folger Franklin (died in childhood); Sarah Franklin Bache
+|-
+! Occupation(s)
+| Printer, author, inventor, scientist, diplomat, statesman
 |-
 ! Major offices
-| * U.S. Minister to France (1778–1785)<br>* Postmaster General (Continental Congress) (1775–1776)<br>* President (Governor) of Pennsylvania (1785–1788)
+| U.S. Minister to France (1778–1785)<br/>President (Governor) of Pennsylvania (1785–1788)<br/>Postmaster General (1775–1776)
+|-
+! Known for
+| Electricity experiments; lightning rod; bifocals; Franklin stove; postal reforms; civic institutions; ''Poor Richard’s Almanack''
 |}
-'''Benjamin Franklin''' (January 17, 1706 – April 17, 1790) was an American polymath—printer, writer, inventor, scientist, diplomat, and statesman—widely regarded as one of the most influential **Founding Fathers of the United States**. He helped draft the **Declaration of Independence**, secured crucial French support during the **American Revolutionary War**, and shaped the postwar settlement and the new Constitution.
+'''Benjamin Franklin''' (January 17, 1706 – April 17, 1790) was an American polymath—printer, writer, inventor, scientist, diplomat, and statesman—widely regarded as one of the most influential '''Founding Fathers of the United States'''. He helped draft the '''Declaration of Independence''', secured crucial French aid during the '''American Revolutionary War''', and later guided compromise at the '''Constitutional Convention'''.
 == Early Life and Printing Career ==
-Born in Boston as the fifteenth of seventeen children, Franklin apprenticed in his brother’s print shop before moving to Philadelphia. There he founded a successful printing business and published the ''Pennsylvania Gazette'' and ''Poor Richard’s Almanack'', famous for wit and practical maxims. His prosperity funded wide-ranging civic projects, including a lending library, a fire company, and support for public education.
+Born in [[Boston]] as the fifteenth of seventeen children, Franklin apprenticed in his brother’s print shop and moved to [[Philadelphia]] as a young journeyman. He founded a successful press, published the ''Pennsylvania Gazette'', and wrote ''Poor Richard’s Almanack'', celebrated for practical wit and maxims. Prosperity enabled far-reaching civic projects: a subscription library, a volunteer fire company, improved street lighting, and support for schools and hospitals.
 == Science and Invention ==
-Franklin became an international celebrity for his experiments with **electricity**. He proposed the single-fluid theory of charge, coined terms like “battery” and “conductor,” and demonstrated the identity of lightning and electricity—leading to the **lightning rod**. His practical inventions included **bifocal glasses** and the **Franklin stove**. He helped found the **American Philosophical Society** to advance scientific learning.
+Franklin became famous for experiments with '''electricity'''. He proposed the single-fluid theory, coined terms like battery and conductor, and demonstrated the identity of lightning and electricity—leading to the practical '''lightning rod'''. He also devised '''bifocal lenses''' and the '''Franklin stove'''. To promote inquiry he helped found the '''American Philosophical Society'''.
 == Civic Leadership and Colonial Politics ==
-In Philadelphia, Franklin served as postmaster and led efforts to improve urban services and public safety. As a colonial agent in London, he lobbied for Pennsylvania and other colonies. Britain’s taxation policies after the Seven Years’ War transformed him from imperial reformer into a leading advocate of American rights.
+In Philadelphia, Franklin served as postmaster and pushed urban improvements. As a colonial agent in London for Pennsylvania and other colonies, he at first sought imperial reform. Britain’s postwar taxation policies and limits on self-government shifted him from reformer to leading advocate of colonial rights.
 == Revolution and Diplomacy ==
-A member of the **Second Continental Congress**, Franklin helped draft and signed the **Declaration of Independence** (1776). Dispatched to Paris, he became **U.S. Minister to France**, where his diplomacy secured military and financial aid vital to victory. He negotiated the **Treaty of Alliance (1778)** and later, with fellow commissioners, the **Treaty of Paris (1783)**, which ended the war and recognized American independence.
+A delegate to the '''Second Continental Congress''', Franklin helped draft and signed the '''Declaration of Independence''' (1776). Dispatched to Paris as '''U.S. Minister to France''', he won financial and military support indispensable to victory, secured the '''Treaty of Alliance (1778)''', and later helped negotiate the '''Treaty of Paris (1783)''' ending the war.
 == Constitution and Later Years ==
-Returning home, Franklin served as **President (Governor) of Pennsylvania** and as the oldest delegate at the **Constitutional Convention of 1787**. His speeches—often delivered through written remarks read by others—urged compromise to secure union. In his final years, he advocated for abolition, petitioning Congress against slavery in 1790.
+Returning home, Franklin served as President (Governor) of Pennsylvania and as the oldest delegate at the '''Constitutional Convention of 1787'''. His tactful speeches urged compromise to ensure union. In his final years he championed abolition, submitting a petition to Congress against slavery in 1790.
 == Legacy ==
-Franklin’s blend of **practical ingenuity**, **civic spirit**, and **diplomatic acumen** made him a symbol of American possibility. His sayings shaped popular culture; his institutions—libraries, learned societies, postal networks—endured; and his statecraft helped birth the nation. Monuments, currency, and countless schools bear his name.
+Franklin’s blend of practical ingenuity, civic spirit, and diplomatic skill made him a lasting emblem of American possibility. His institutions—libraries, postal networks, and learned societies—endured, his inventions saved lives, and his writing shaped public culture.
 == See also ==
 * [[Founding Fathers of the United States]]
 * [[Declaration of Independence]]
+* [[American Revolutionary War]]
 * [[Constitutional Convention]]
-* [[American Revolutionary War]]
+* [[American Philosophical Society]]
 * [[Lightning rod]]
 * [[Poor Richard's Almanack]]
-* [[American Philosophical Society]]
 [[Category:Founding Fathers of the United States]]