Benjamin Franklin
(1706-1790)

American Founding Father

birthdate: January 17
birthplace:
Boston, Massachusetts

Benjamin Franklin never held a nationally elected office, but greatly helped shape the American Revolution and the newly created nation, and is often hailed as "The First American." A true Renaissance man, Franklin's accomplishments range from running a successful newspaper, to helping create one of the nation's first hospitals, libraries and philosophical societies, fire companies and fire insurance funds, to inventing bifocals, the Franklin stove, swimming flippers, and the lighting rod. He gained international fame for his discoveries about electricity, and served as minister to France and the nation's first Postmaster General. His diplomacy before the Revolution helped convince England to repeal the hated Stamp Act, which made him a national hero . Although Thomas Jefferson wrote much of the Declaration of Independence, much of the content was supplied by Franklin. Benjamin Franklin also became one of the nation's first abolitionists, writing strongly against slavery.

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