Benjamin Franklin

This story is about a man named Benjamin Franklin, who made many differences across the United States during its beginning times. With passion and great integrity, he soon became a great inventor and a Founding Father of the United States.

My life began January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts. I had 16 brothers and sisters, and was the youngest son.

Even though I learned to read at an early age, I stopped going to school at the age of 10 to work with my father in his candle and soap shop.

But dipping wax and cutting wicks didn't exactly fuel my imagination...

For most of my life I was a writer for newspapers, and I continued this field of work until 1724 when I set up my own printshop.

I returned to Pennsylvania in 1726, and was later named the official printer by publishing government pamphlets and books.

In 1732 I published my first edition of the Poor Richard's Almanack...

In the Almanack I included weather forecasts, astronomical information, poetry, proverbs, and my very own witty rules of conduct.

"Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

Once the 1740s were upon us I chose to move my entrepreneurship into science....

I created a new pamphlet called "A Proposal for Promoting Useful Knowledge", which led to being used as the founding document for the American Philosophical Society, the first scientific society in the colonies.

Aside from my love of writing and sharing my knowledge, I have a deep passion for science and creating new things for others to use. This passion pushed me to create some of my greatest inventions.

My very first invention came up in the 1740s, and it was called the Franklin Stove. This invention was able to provide more heat, but use less fuel.

I also created the bifocals. These glasses were ideal for people to be able to see more clearly at a distance, but also up close for reading.

My other invention was something called the Armonica. While my love for science was strong, I also had a passion for music.