Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Society" title="Royal Society" >FRS</a> (January 17, 1706 [<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates" title="Old Style and New Style dates" >O.S.</a> January 6, 1705]<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin#cite_note-Engber-1" >[Note 1]</a> – April 17, 1790) was one of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Founding_Fathers_of_the_United_States" title="Founding Fathers of the United States" >Founding Fathers of the United States</a> and in many ways was "the First American".<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin#cite_note-2" >[1]</a> A renowned <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymath" title="Polymath" >polymath</a>, Franklin was a leading author, printer, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_philosophers" title="List of political philosophers" >political theorist</a>, politician, postmaster, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. As a scientist, he was a major figure in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Enlightenment" title="American Enlightenment" >American Enlightenment</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_physics" title="History of physics" >history of physics</a> for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. As an inventor, he is known for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning_rod" title="Lightning rod" >lightning rod</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bifocals" title="Bifocals" >bifocals</a>, and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_stove" title="Franklin stove" >Franklin stove</a>, among other inventions.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin#cite_note-3" >[2]</a> He facilitated many civic organizations, including Philadelphia's fire department and a university.

Franklin earned the title of "The First American" for his early and indefatigable campaigning for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteen_Colonies" title="Thirteen Colonies" >colonial unity</a>; as an author and spokesman in London for several colonies, then as the first <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Ambassador_to_France" title="United States Ambassador to France" >United States Ambassador to France</a>, he exemplified the emerging American nation.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin#cite_note-4" >[3]</a> Franklin was foundational in defining the American ethos as a marriage of the practical values of thrift, hard work, education, community spirit, self-governing institutions, and opposition to authoritarianism both political and religious, with the scientific and tolerant values of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenment" title="Age of Enlightenment" >Enlightenment</a>. In the words of historian <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Steele_Commager" title="Henry Steele Commager" >Henry Steele Commager</a>, "In a Franklin could be merged the virtues of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puritanism" title="Puritanism" class="mw-redirect" >Puritanism</a>without its defects, the illumination of the Enlightenment without its heat."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin#cite_note-5" >[4]</a> To <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Isaacson" title="Walter Isaacson" >Walter Isaacson</a>, this makes Franklin "the most accomplished American of his age and the most influential in inventing the type of society America would become."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin#cite_note-6" >[5]</a>

Franklin, always proud of his working class roots, became a successful newspaper editor and printer in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia" title="Philadelphia" >Philadelphia</a>, the leading city in the colonies.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin#cite_note-7" >[6]</a> With two partners he published the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Chronicle" title="Pennsylvania Chronicle" class="mw-redirect" >Pennsylvania Chronicle</a>, a newspaper that was known for its revolutionary sentiments and criticisms of the British policies. He became wealthy publishing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poor_Richard%27s_Almanack" title="Poor Richard's Almanack" >Poor Richard's Almanack</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Gazette" title="Pennsylvania Gazette" >The Pennsylvania Gazette</a>. Franklin was also the printer of books for the Moravians of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem,_Pennsylvania" title="Bethlehem, Pennsylvania" >Bethlehem, Pennsylvania</a> (1742 on). Franklin's printed Moravian books (printed in German) are preserved, and can be viewed, at the Moravian Archives located in Bethlehem. Franklin visited Bethlehem many times and stayed at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moravian_Sun_Inn" title="Moravian Sun Inn" >Moravian Sun Inn</a>.

He played a major role in establishing the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Pennsylvania" title="University of Pennsylvania" >University of Pennsylvania</a> and was elected the first president of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Philosophical_Society" title="American Philosophical Society" >American Philosophical Society</a>. Franklin became a national hero in America when as agent for several colonies he spearheaded the effort to have Parliament in London repeal the unpopular <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stamp_Act_1765" title="Stamp Act 1765" >Stamp Act</a>. An accomplished diplomat, he was widely admired among the French as American minister to Paris and was a major figure in the development of positive <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France%E2%80%93United_States_relations" title="France–United States relations" >Franco-American relations</a>. His efforts to secure support for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolution" title="American Revolution" >American Revolution</a> by shipments of crucial munitions proved vital for the American war effort.

For many years he was the British postmaster for the colonies, which enabled him to set up the first national communications network. He was active in community affairs, colonial and state politics, as well as national and international affairs. From 1785 to 1788, he served as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Executive_Council_of_the_Commonwealth_of_Pennsylvania#Presidents_of_Council" title="Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" >governor of Pennsylvania</a>. Toward the end of his life, he freed his own slaves and became one of the most prominent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abolitionism_in_the_United_States" title="Abolitionism in the United States" >abolitionists</a>.

His colorful life and legacy of scientific and political achievement, and status as one of America's most influential Founding Fathers, have seen Franklin honored on coinage and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_one_hundred-dollar_bill" title="United States one hundred-dollar bill" >$100 bill</a>; <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Benjamin_Franklin_(SSBN-640)" title="USS Benjamin Franklin (SSBN-640)" >warships</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_places_named_for_Benjamin_Franklin" title="List of places named for Benjamin Franklin" >the names of many towns</a>, counties, educational institutions, namesakes, and companies, and, more than two centuries after his death, countless <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin_in_popular_culture" title="Benjamin Franklin in popular culture" >cultural references</a>.

Benjamin Franklin

Attachments