Sources
- https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benjamin-Franklin
Britannica is a highly authoritative source for biographical information. This link provides a comprehensive overview of Benjamin Franklin's life, including his early years, inventions, and political career, which aligns with the blog post's content. - https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration
The National Archives is a reliable source for historical documents. This link details the Declaration of Independence, confirming Franklin's role as a member of the Committee of Five and a signatory, as mentioned in the blog post. - https://www.fi.edu/benjamin-franklin/kite-experiment
The Franklin Institute is a credible source on Franklin's scientific contributions. This link discusses his famous kite experiment and his discoveries about electricity, supporting the blog post's claims about his innovative prowess. - https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/franklin/
The Library of Congress is a trusted source for historical records. This exhibit covers Franklin's life, including his work as a publisher and his political contributions, which corroborates the blog post's narrative. - https://www.pbs.org/benfranklin/
PBS is a reputable source for educational content. This link provides detailed information on Franklin's early life, his time as a publisher, and his political career, all of which are key points in the blog post.
Key Points
- Benjamin Franklin is a popular founding father, featured on the $100 bill and known for his discovery that lightning generates electricity.
- Born in 1706, Franklin was the 10th child in his family and initially intended for the clergy but became an apprentice at his brother's print business due to financial constraints.
- Franklin anonymously wrote letters under the pseudonym 'Silence Dogood' which gained significant attention and established his reputation as a publisher.
- In 1732, he published 'Poor Richard's Almack,' a bestseller, and later acquired the Pennsylvania Gazette to promote colonial unity.
- Franklin was a prolific inventor, creating the Franklin stove, swim fins, bifocals, and the glass harmonica, but is most famous for his kite experiment proving lightning generates electricity.
- He was instrumental in civic projects, founding libraries, fire brigades, insurance policies for fire victims, and hospitals.
- Franklin entered politics in 1754, advocating for colonial unification with his 'Albany Plan of Union' and representing Pennsylvania in England from 1757 to 1775.
- He played a key role in drafting the Declaration of Independence as a member of the Second Continental Congress and was one of its signatories.
- Franklin's efforts in colonial unity and independence laid the groundwork for the American Revolution.
Summary
Benjamin Franklin, a renowned founding father featured on the $100 bill, was a multifaceted figure known for his innovations (like discovering electricity), prolific writing, and political contributions. Starting as a printer's apprentice, he gained fame through his "Silence Dogood" letters and later authored bestsellers while advocating for colonial unity. Franklin also played a key role in drafting the Declaration of Independence and represented Pennsylvania in England, laying the groundwork for American independence.
Early Life
Benjamin Franklin is the most popular founding father among the seven. He is seen on the 100 dollar bill, and his name (Benjamin) is jargon for the US dollar, which explains his popularity. Besides featuring on the $100 bill, Benjamin Franklin was known for his innovative prowess in discovering electricity, however, others disputed that he only discovered that lightning generated electricity.
Benjamin Franklin was born to Abia and Josiah Franklin in Boston on January 17th, 1706. He was the 10th child of his parents, and in his early years, his dad encouraged him to enroll in the clergy. However, the fees for the clergy were exorbitant, and his dad was only able to afford one year of tuition. His dad being unable to pay his fees resulted in his dropout from the clergy, but his love for reading saw him become an apprentice at his brother’s print business.
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As an apprentice, he helped his brother (James Franklin) compose books and pamphlets. After working with his brother for three years, at age 15, Benjamin’s brother acquired and published the first Boston newspaper, “The New England Courant.” After James had acquired The New England Courant, Benjamin felt he had gained enough experience in the publishing space. His confidence led him to pitch to his brother the idea of making him a writer, but James Franklin declined Benjamin’s offer.
“Silence Dogood”
James declining Benjamin’s offer wouldn’t stop him, and Benjamin would anonymously write letters at night under the name of “Silence Dogood,” who was a fictional widow. He would place these letters at the door of the print shop, and when day broke, his brother would see the letters and feature the story of “Silence Dogood” in his newspaper.
The story of Silence Dogood started catching people’s attention, and everyone, including James, wanted to know who this fictional widow was. After writing his 14th letter, Ben couldn’t keep the secret anymore, and he had to tell his brother he was the real Silence Dogood.
After the incident above, Benjamin was recognized as a renowned publisher in his hometown. However, his brother (James) hated the attention Benjamin got from people, which led to Benjamin leaving Boston for Philadelphia when he was 17 in 1723.
Time As A Publisher
In 1732, Benjamin published his first book: “Poor Richard’s Almack,” which became a bestseller. He also authored many books and used the proceeds from the sale of these books to acquire the Pennsylvania Gazette, where he started publishing his ideas on colonial unity. In 1744, he created the first political cartoon, which proposed that all the colonies join together.
In addition to his political ambitions during those periods, he was known for his projects for the common good. Some notable examples include the formation of a library and other civic institutions such as the fire brigade, insurance policies for fire victims, and hospitals.
During the late 1740s, Benjamin Franklin’s interest in inventions peaked. That curiosity led to him inventing the Franklin stove, swim fins, bifocals, and a musical instrument known as glass harmonica. However, one invention made him famous, and this was the discovery that lightning could generate electricity through his kite experiment.
Political Career
Benjamin entered the political scene in 1754 when he was a delegate in the Albany Congress. As a delegate, he pushed the idea of unification for all 13 colonies through his “Albany Plan of Union.” He was known for representing his state of Pennsylvania between 1757 to 1775 in England. In England, he was tasked with putting an end to “Taxation Without Representation” or the “Stamp Act.” Even though he wasn’t successful with the issue of “Taxation without Representation,” it didn’t stop him from striving to unify colonies in New England. Even though this unification plan failed initially, too, it set laid the foundations for the various colonies to fight for independence.
One of Benjamin Franklin’s biggest fights for independence was when he joined the Second Continental Congress to draft and write the Declaration of Independence. He was an advisor and editor to Thomas Jefferson (the writer of the Declaration of Independence). Also, Benjamin Franklin was known to be one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence.
