1.
The life of the ingenious Benjamin
Franklin
By Michael Bregar

2.
Early Life
Benjamin Franklin, one of the most
distinguished Founding Fathers of
America, was born in Boston,
Massachusetts on January 17, 1706.
His father Josiah Franklin was a
soap maker and Abiah Folger,
Benjamin's mother, was Josiah's
second wife. Josiah first intended
Benjamin to be a clergyman, but he
lacked the capital to send his son to
school for the necessary number of
years. But Josiah did not forget
Benjamin's love for reading. At age
12 Benjamin was apprenticed to his
brother James, who was a printer.
12 year-old Benjamin
Franklin

3.
Franklin’s Running
Away From Home and
Life in Philadelphia
Several years later, the Franklins had a debate with a
family called the Mathers over whether there should be an
inoculation for smallpox. Although many Bostonians
agreed with the Franklins, they did not like how James
Franklin treated the clergy during the debate. Tensions
between the two brothers were growing and when James
returned from jail, how he treated Benjamin made
Benjamin run away to Philadelphia in 1723 where he met
his future wife Deborah Read. He found work as an
apprentice printer and eventually started his own
prosperous business.That’s when he started his inventions.
During his time in Philadelphia, he made many
contributions during the 1730s through 1750 including his
studies on electricity and the invention of the Franklin
stove. He also grew an interest in politics…

4.
Franklin’s Interest in
Politics
During the 1750s Benjamin had a more active interest in politics. In 1757 went to England as a colonial
representative for Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Jersey and Massachusetts. In 1765, he convinced
Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act due to popular demand. As happy as he was in England, he disliked
the corruption in politics and decided to contemplate on an idea for unity of the colonies. He had
proposed that plan before, but it was rejected at the time. His "big break" was the "Hutchinson Affair".
Thomas Hutchinson was an English-appointed governor of Massachusetts who was supposedly working
for the people but was working for the king. Benjamin Franklin got hold his letters where Hutchinson
called for "an abridgment of what are called English Liberties". Benjamin Franklin got the letters into the
colonies, where the overwhelming majority were simply outraged. Benjamin was called to Whitehall,
where he was condemned in public, so he left England and returned home.In the colonies, Franklin
worked towards the goal of Independence. He was elected to the Second Continental Congress and was
assigned to run the new colonial post office and contributed to the writing of the Declaration of
Independence. In 1776, Franklin signed the Declaration and went to France as an ambassador. The
French absolutely loved him. To them he was an interesting man, the man who tamed electricity, the
humble American who was a match for any wit in the known world. He was a special favorite of the
ladies. Several years earlier his wife Deborah had died, and Franklin became a notorious flirt. Franklin's
popularity with the French helped, in part, to form the French-American alliance during the
Revolutionary War. After signing the Treaty of Paris of 1783, Franklin returned to America and became
President of the Executive Council of Pennsylvania. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention
and signed the constitution.

5.
The Death of Benjamin Franklin
After writing his monograph concerning anti-slavery in 1789, Franklin died a year
later on April 17, 1790