Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706, in Boston to Josiah Franklin, a tallow chandler and soap maker, and Abiah Folger; he was the tenth of seventeen children in a modest family. At age eight, he attended Boston Latin School briefly before apprenticing at his father's shop and then, at twelve, under his brother James as a printer. Franklin showed early leadership and love for reading, secretly writing essays as 'Silence Dogood' for The New England Courant. At 17, he fled to Philadelphia in 1723 after disputes, breaking his apprenticeship, and worked as a printer while building his career. In Philadelphia, Franklin thrived as a printer and publisher, acquiring The Pennsylvania Gazette at age 23 and launching Poor Richard's Almanack under 'Richard Saunders,' which made him wealthy with its proverbs and practical advice. He founded civic institutions like the first volunteer fire company (1736), the Library Company of Philadelphia (1731), and the American Philosophical Society (1743), embodying ethical leadership and strategic thinking. From 1724–1726 and later periods, he traveled to England for printing training and as Pennsylvania's agent, gaining international acclaim for electrical experiments earning the Royal Society's Copley Medal, including the kite experiment and lightning rod invention. Franklin's later career focused on politics and diplomacy amid rising colonial tensions. Elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1751, he opposed the Stamp Act before Parliament, aiding its repeal. As a delegate to the Second Continental Congress (1775), he helped draft and sign the Declaration of Independence (1776). At 81, he served as ambassador to France (1776–1785), securing crucial military and financial aid via the Treaty of Alliance (1778). He contributed to the U.S. Constitution at the 1787 Convention, urging its ratification, before retiring. Franklin died on April 17, 1790, buried in Christ Church cemetery beside his wife Deborah; over 20,000 attended his funeral.