Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706, in Boston Massachusetts. He was the fifteenth of the seventeen children to his father Josiah Franklin by his two marriages. As the youngest son of the family, Ben was taken out of school at ten to help at his father’s candle making shop but left to apprentice at his brother’s print shop after discovering his restlessness for something he loved. Although he was of great help to his brother James, James treated him badly, …show more content…
Shortly thereafter Pennsylvania Governor William Keith offered to send a letter of credit to set him up with his own shop if he would go to London to get the parts, but the letter never came. Naturally, he used this opportunity to better himself. Finally at 24 he had enough money make his own print shop which he used to support his new wife Deborah Read (the daughter of John Read) and his son William (whose mother is not known).
During the next few years Ben bought The Pennsylvania Gazette, wrote the Poor Richard’s Almanac, invented the Franklin stove, wrote a pamphlet called “A Proposal for Promoting Useful Knowledge”, had his first son by Deborah who died at four from small pocks, and had his beloved daughter Sarah. In 1752 he conducted his famous kite experiment while some of his electrical theories were published in England.
As Franklin continued to grow in experience and respect he became a diplomat and was elected to the Second Continental Congress. He also became the postmaster general and helped write the Declaration of