Benjamin Franklin

by Julia K.

Ben Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 17, 1706. Ben Franklin loved to read. When he was young, he was his older brother James’s apprentice. James was a printer. Ben helped James compose pamphlets. When Ben was 12 sold his brother’s products on the streets. When Ben was 15 his brother started The New England Courant, the first newspaper in Boston. Ben wanted to write for the paper, but he knew James wouldn’t let him. So at night he started writing letters for his brother’s paper, signing them with a fictional name, Silence Dogood.         

Ben Franklin was a writer, newsman, printer, editor, publisher, inventor, civic leader, philosopher, scientist, patriot, diplomat, statesman, and a musician. He played a key role in forming the United States of America. Ben Franklin was known as one of the founding fathers.         

Ben Franklin did many things to help the United States of America. He created America’s fist public library. He helped pave the first streets. He established the fire department and the first sanitation department. Ben Franklin reformed the police department. He started the first free hospital in the United States of America. He founded the University of Pennsylvania. He printed an almanac called Poor Richard’s Almanack.         

Ben Franklin invented the Franklin stove between 1742 and 1744. The Franklin stove was for heating, not for cooking. Fire places usually gave off a little heat. Most of the heat went up the chimney.         

Ben Franklin had a theory that lightning is electricity. He preformed an experiment to prove his theory in 1752. He flew a kite with a key attached to it. DO NOT DO THIS EXPERIMENT AT HOME OR ANYWHERE. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS.   Ben Franklin made a special kite for this experiment. The kite was made out silk because silk is not a good conductor of electricity. The experiment proved his theory. The experiment led to the invention of the lightning rod, which is also known as the Franklin Rod.         

Ben Franklin did other things, too. In 1775 he was a member the Second Continental Congress. In 1776 he helped draft the Declaration of Independence. In 1784 he invented Bifocals. Bifocals allowed him to see things up close and far away. In 1787 he helped draft the U.S. Constitution.          

Ben Franklin died on April 17, 1790. He was 84 when he died. He did many things to help the United States of America.

The following websites gave me the knowledge to write this biography:

www.ushistory.com
www.imahero.com