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Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) – Inventor, diplomat, writer, and statesman.
Benjamin Franklin was born in 1706 in Boston, the 15th of 17 children. He had very little formal schooling and started working as a printer’s apprentice, but he became one of the most accomplished people in American history through self-education.
Franklin was a printer, author, scientist, inventor, and diplomat. He published Poor Richard’s Almanack, famous for its witty sayings, and ran a successful printing business. His experiments with electricity, including the famous kite experiment, made him world-renowned.
During the Revolution, Franklin was a crucial diplomat. He secured the alliance with France that helped win the war, and he was the only Founding Father to sign all four key founding documents. He helped draft the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Franklin believed in hard work, learning, and civic improvement. He started the first lending library, fire department, and many other institutions that still shape American life.
Did You Know?
- He invented bifocal glasses, the lightning rod, and a more efficient stove.
- He never patented his inventions because he wanted everyone to benefit from them freely.
- He helped found the first public library in America.
Free Printables: Benjamin Franklin
Full Profile (PDF)
A printable profile of Benjamin Franklin with his portrait, the story of their life, and a Did You Know section. Free for personal and homeschool use.
Bring American History to Life
If your kids love stories like these, our Exploring America’s Ghost Towns Curriculum takes them on a 414-page, K-12 journey through the real places and people who built the American West. It weaves history, geography, language arts, and more into a secular, open-and-go curriculum you can teach with confidence. Approved for many ESA and scholarship programs. Explore the curriculum here.
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