Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin: A Look at his Life



Introduction

A printer, an inventor, a writer, a scientist, a diplomat, and a statesman.   There is

only one man that all this can describe.   I am talking about no one other than Benjamin

Franklin.   Benjamin Franklin was well-known during the beginning of our great nation.   He

helped our nation begin.   He was one of the framers of the Constitution and was a delegate

along with others that were sent over to France to discuss the Treaty of Paris that ended the

War for Independence.   You will read about how he grew up and how his contributions

help us today.

A Boy From Boston (1706-1718)

Benjamin Franklin was born on Milk Street in Boston, Massachusetts on January

17th, 1706 to Josiah and Abiah Folger Franklin.   Ben was Josiah's fifteenth child of

seventeen children and Abiah's, Josiah's second wife, eighth child.   Once he was born, his

father took him to the South Church to be baptized under the Father, the Son, and the

Holy Ghost.   Benjamin's father was a maker and seller of candles and soap.   Benjamin's

mother was the daughter of an indentured servant who had married her master, Peter

Folger of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.   (Wechsler, 14)

Benjamin was popular with the boys from the neighborhood.   He was often the

leader among them and often led them into scrapes.   He would go swimming, boating, and

fishing with them.   They all kept pets, made kites and flew them.   And like all boys, he got

in trouble with his parents and other grown-ups at times.







One of his first investigations was how a ship moved.   One day Ben was flying his

kite and looked over and saw his friends swimming in the pond.   Since Ben wanted to do

both, he tried something.   He let out some string to his kite and walked into the pond.

Once he was waist deep in the water, he laid on his back and had the kite fly over his head.

The wind was so strong that the kite was gliding Franklin over the water.   He exclaimed to

his... [continues]

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