Benjamin Franklin [Book Report]

Benjamin Franklin
Peter and Connie Roop
1706 (January 17) Ben Franklin is born in Boston, Massachusetts colony.
1718 Becomes printer’s apprentice to James, his older brother.
1722 Writes his Silence Dogood essays that are published anonymously in his brother’s newspaper, The New England Courant.
1723 Runs away to Philadelphia where he works as a printer
1724-26 Lives and works as a printer in London. Returns to Philadelphia to clerk a store.
1727 found the Junto.
1728 opens print shop with partner Hugh Meredith.
1729 Purchases The Pennsylvania Gazette newspaper.
1730 Marries Deborah Read.
1732 Publishes Poor Richard’s Almanack.
1736-37 founds the Union Fire Company and is appointed postmaster of Philadelphia.
1742-44 founds the University of Pennsylvania, and invents the Franklin stove.
1751 Publishes his work on electricity, founds Pennsylvania Hospital, and is elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly.
1752 Performs kite experiment with son William and invents lightning rods to protect buildings.
1753 Awarded the Copley Medal from the Royal Society for his electrical experiments.
1753-54 Appointed Deputy Postmaster General for all of the American Colonies.
1757 Sails to England as a representative of the Pennsylvania Assembly.
1762 Returns to Philadelphia.
1764-75 Lives in London, and works for repeal of Stamp Act.
1775 Speaks before English’s House of Commons on the Stamp Act. Returns to Philadelphia and is elected to the Continental Congress
1776 Signs the Declaration of Independence. Sails to France to gain French help for the United States.
1778 Signs treaty of Alliance with France
1783 Negotiates peace treaty with Britain to end the American Revolution.
1785 Returns to America.
1787 Becomes a delegate to the Constitutional Convention. Signs the Constitution.
1790 (April 17) Dies in Philadelphia; buried in Christ Church Burial Ground.
For More Information about Benjamin Franklin
His dream is becoming a sailor as a child.
He spent over twenty-five years in England and France.
He was founded the first public library in America.
About Ben’ life: library.thinkquest.org/22254/home.htm
The Franklin Institute Science Museum: www.fi.edu/franklin
Poor Richard’s Web site: www.crosswinds.net/~poorrichard