Benjamin Franklin, Our Renaissance Man?

Benjamin Franklin, Our Renaissance man?

Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 17, 1706. He was one of the seventeen children of Josiah Franklin, a soap maker. Josiah’s second wife, Abiah Folger mothered young Benjamin. As a child, Benjamin loved to read and at twelve years of age was apprenticed to his older brother, James, who was a printmaker. The family decided this would be best for young Benjamin after his father could only afford one year of studies in clergy for his son.

In Benjamin franklins wisdom in his era of living only when he was fifteen he created a fictional character “Silence Do-good” and wrote daily letters in regard to advice and criticisms toward the town. In 1729, Franklin purchased, printed, and contributed the Pennsylvania Gazette. This would be the first paper to print a political cartoon. Soon after, Franklin established the Junto, a group of men dedicated to politics and literature and soon became extremely sociable. Franklin soon began his next work, the Poor Richard's Almanac. The Poor Richards Almanac was a series of weather reports, homilies, and witty anecdotes compiled for a poor farmer to help support he and his wife. Benjamin’s work was once again the talk of the town. In the late 1730’s, Ben arranged projects to clean up and repair Philadelphia. This established the first Library Company in 1731.

Franklin’s discovery of electricity acquired international fame. As he progressed in these studies of electricity and writing, Franklin also acquired a love for politics; achieving the position of representing Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Franklin was elected to the Second Continental Congress and worked on a committee to write the Declaration of Independence. Franklin is mainly acknowledged for his contribution because of his ambassadorship to France. The French loved him for his incredible wit and was also loved by the women. Thanks to Franklin, The French signed a Treaty Of Alliance in 1778 and also Signed the Treaty of Paris after the Americans had won the Revolution. After returning to America, he became President of the Executive Council of Pennsylvania