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==Early life==

==Early life==

Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]] into a Puritan family.  His father was Josiah Franklin, a soap and candle maker, who was married twice and had 17 children.  Benjamin briefly attended the very good South Grammar School (affiliated with the Boston Latin School), then at age 10 was pulled out by his father. He was apprenticed at age 12 to his brother James Franklin  (1697-1735), one of the first American printers.  James published ''[[New England Courant]]'' and it became Ben's first public forum for his essays, written under the pseudonym "Silence Dogood."  Ben, pretending to be a widow, wrote 14 essays in 1722.  The essays drew the anger of the local authorities, who prohibited James from publishing it, citing that it mocked religion.  Ben, now aged 17, was under legal obligation to his brother but broke with him, and ran away to Philadelphia on his own.  Franklin visited his many relatives in Boston in 1733  and reconciled with his brother, and when James died at the age of 38, Ben helped his widow and took charge of James' oldest son.

Franklin was born on January 17, 1706, in [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]] into a Puritan family.  His father was Josiah Franklin, a soap and candle maker, who was married twice and had 17 children.  Benjamin briefly attended the very good South Grammar School (affiliated with the Boston Latin School), then at age 10 was pulled out by his father. He was apprenticed at age 12 to his brother James Franklin  (1697-1735), one of the first American printers.  James published ''[[New England Courant]]'' and it became Ben's first public forum for his essays, written under the pseudonym "Silence Dogood."  Ben, pretending to be a widow, wrote 14 essays in 1722.  The essays drew the anger of the local authorities, who prohibited James from publishing it, citing that it mocked religion.  Ben, now aged 17, was under legal obligation to his brother but broke with him, and ran away to Philadelphia on his own.  Franklin visited his many relatives in Boston in 1733  and reconciled with his brother, and when James died at the age of 38, Ben helped his widow and took charge of James' oldest son.

==Philadelphia Printer ==

==Philadelphia Printer ==

Franklin's great scientific achievement came in his experiments and theories regarding [[electricity]].  He was first intrigued by the concept after meeting Archibald Spencer and witnessing his demonstrations on the creation of static electricity. In 1747, Spencer donated a glass tube and information on generating electricity to the Library Company.  Franklin had several of these glass devices made for his experiments.  He theorized that electricity was one "fluid."  He discovered that when a "positive" charge is created that a "negative" charge is created as well, which became known as the [[conservation of charge]].  He also began using [[Leyden jar]]s, a glass jar with foil on the outside and a conductor such as water or metal on the inside that could be charged with a wire.  Franklin determined that the charge was not stored in the conductor, as was previously thought, and was held in the glass.<ref>We now know that the Leyden jar is an early form of the [[capacitor]], that the charge is contained in a layer of the conductor facing the glass and that the glass (the [[dielectricum]]) increases the [[capacitance]] of the jar (amount of charge that can be held).</ref>  Based on this knowledge, he invented the first electrical battery, which was a series of glass planks that were flanked by metal and wired together.

Franklin's great scientific achievement came in his experiments and theories regarding [[electricity]].  He was first intrigued by the concept after meeting Archibald Spencer and witnessing his demonstrations on the creation of static electricity. In 1747, Spencer donated a glass tube and information on generating electricity to the Library Company.  Franklin had several of these glass devices made for his experiments.  He theorized that electricity was one "fluid."  He discovered that when a "positive" charge is created that a "negative" charge is created as well, which became known as the [[conservation of charge]].  He also began using [[Leyden jar]]s, a glass jar with foil on the outside and a conductor such as water or metal on the inside that could be charged with a wire.  Franklin determined that the charge was not stored in the conductor, as was previously thought, and was held in the glass.<ref>We now know that the Leyden jar is an early form of the [[capacitor]], that the charge is contained in a layer of the conductor facing the glass and that the glass (the [[dielectricum]]) increases the [[capacitance]] of the jar (amount of charge that can be held).</ref>  Based on this knowledge, he invented the first electrical battery, which was a series of glass planks that were flanked by metal and wired together.

[[Image:Franklin - kite.jpg|left|360px]]

[[Image:Franklin - kite.jpg|left|360px]]

Franklin began noticing the similar properties of [[lightning]] and electrical sparks, which led to his most famous experiment.  In 1750, Franklin outlined his proposal in two letters to Peter Collinson, which were published and presented to the Royal Society in London. On May 10, 1752 French scientist [[Thomas-François D'Alibard]] successfully performed Franklin's experiment outside of Paris.  In June, before word of success had crossed the Atlantic, Franklin performed his kite and key experiment with his son, William, with similar success, which has become a popular part of American folklore.<ref>See [http://www.mos.org/sln/toe/kite.html], [http://www.thebakken.org/electricity/franklin-kite.html]  and [http://www2.fi.edu/exhibits/permanent/electricity.php]</ref> This led to the invention of lightning rods [http://fi.edu/franklin/inventor/images/rod.jpg], which became widespread in the colonies, as well as Europe, bringing international fame to Franklin almost overnight.  In 1753, he received honorary degrees from both Harvard and Yale, and the Royal Society in London awarded him the prestigious [[Copley Medal]].

Franklin began noticing the similar properties of [[lightning]] and electrical sparks, which led to his most famous experiment.  In 1750, Franklin outlined his proposal in two letters to Peter Collinson, which were published and presented to the Royal Society in London. On May 10, 1752, French scientist [[Thomas-François D'Alibard]] successfully performed Franklin's experiment outside of Paris.  In June, before word of success had crossed the Atlantic, Franklin performed his kite and key experiment with his son, William, with similar success, which has become a popular part of American folklore.<ref>See [http://www.mos.org/sln/toe/kite.html], [http://www.thebakken.org/electricity/franklin-kite.html]  and [http://www2.fi.edu/exhibits/permanent/electricity.php]</ref> This led to the invention of lightning rods [http://fi.edu/franklin/inventor/images/rod.jpg], which became widespread in the colonies, as well as Europe, bringing international fame to Franklin almost overnight.  In 1753, he received honorary degrees from both Harvard and Yale, and the Royal Society in London awarded him the prestigious [[Copley Medal]].

Franklin is responsible for the nomenclature of "positive" and "negative" charge. He believed he could tell the direction in which electricity traveled by observing sparks. He was wrong; the electrons, which are the particles carrying ordinary [[electricity]], move in the opposite of the direction he thought they did. As a result, when electrons were discovered, according to Franklin's designation they had to be considered as having a negative charge.

Franklin is responsible for the nomenclature of "positive" and "negative" charge. He believed he could tell the direction in which electricity traveled by observing sparks. He was wrong; the electrons, which are the particles carrying ordinary [[electricity]], move in the opposite of the direction he thought they did. As a result, when electrons were discovered, according to Franklin's designation they had to be considered as having a negative charge.

===Diplomat===

===Diplomat===

Franklin proved himself to be a crafty diplomat.  By the end of 1777, after the great American victory at [[Battle of Saratoga|Saratoga]], the French became confident the Americans were strong enough to prevail. The French favored an alliance with the Americans, but their ally Spain was opposed, fearing that anti-imperial republicanism might emerge ion Spain's many colonies. Franklin played on the traditional hatred between the British and the French, using the press to get his messages across.  On February 5, 1778 he officially signed a treaty of alliance with France with the stipulation that the U.S. must have France's approval to negotiate peace with Britain.  The American revolution was now a world war, and as the Netherlands and Spain joined France, and the rest remained neutral, Britain was outnumbered on land and sea and had little hope of defeating the Allies.   

Franklin proved himself to be a crafty diplomat.  By the end of 1777, after the great American victory at [[Battle of Saratoga|Saratoga]], the French became confident the Americans were strong enough to prevail. The French favored an alliance with the Americans, but their ally Spain was opposed, fearing that anti-imperial republicanism might emerge ion Spain's many colonies. Franklin played on the traditional hatred between the British and the French, using the press to get his messages across.  On February 5, 1778, he officially signed a treaty of alliance with France with the stipulation that the U.S. must have France's approval to negotiate peace with Britain.  The American revolution was now a world war, and as the Netherlands and Spain joined France, and the rest remained neutral, Britain was outnumbered on land and sea and had little hope of defeating the Allies.   

[[Image:Treaty of Paris by Benjamin West 1783.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Treaty of Paris]], Painting by Benjamin West (never completed).  The painting depicts from left to right, [[John Jay]], [[John Adams]], Benjamin Franklin, [[Henry Laurens]], and [[William Temple Franklin]].]]

[[Image:Treaty of Paris by Benjamin West 1783.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Treaty of Paris]], Painting by Benjamin West (never completed).  The painting depicts from left to right, [[John Jay]], [[John Adams]], Benjamin Franklin, [[Henry Laurens]], and [[William Temple Franklin]].]]

Franklin and John Adams did not get along. Adams that Franklin was "too old, too infirm, too indolent and dissipated for the discharge of all the important duties of ambassador, board of war, board of treasury, commissary of prisoners...." Adams did admit that the power of Franklin's name and fame made him essential, and historians generally agree Franklin did a very good job.<ref>Gorodon Wood, ''The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin'' (2004) p 192; Stacy Schiff, ''A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America'' (2005)</ref>  French aid proved to be critical to the Americans success, most notably in the decisive victory at Yorktown in October 1781. The Revolutionary war was now won, but negotiations dragged on until the Peace of Paris was signed on Sept. 3, 1783. Franklin remarked, about this time: "There never was a good war nor a bad peace."

Franklin and John Adams did not get along. Adams that Franklin was "too old, too infirm, too indolent and dissipated for the discharge of all the important duties of ambassador, board of war, board of treasury, commissary of prisoners...." Adams did admit that the power of Franklin's name and fame made him essential, and historians generally agree Franklin did a very good job.<ref>Gorodon Wood, ''The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin'' (2004) p 192; Stacy Schiff, ''A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America'' (2005)</ref>  French aid proved to be critical to the Americans success, most notably in the decisive victory at Yorktown in October 1781. The Revolutionary war was now won, but negotiations dragged on until the Peace of Paris was signed on Sept. 3, 1783. Franklin remarked, about this time: "There never was a good war nor a bad peace."

In his later years, Franklin suffered from extremely painful afflictions, such as gout, which oftentimes made it difficult for him to stand upright.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ZbkPAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT29 "Mr. President": George Washington and the Making of the Nation's Highest Office]</ref>  His physician, Dr. John Jones, wrote that due to how much pain Franklin constantly dealt with, he prescribed him with laudanum,<ref name=DrJones>[https://books.google.com/books?id=vAdUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA543 Benjamin Franklin: his autobiography]</ref> which is a narcotic opioid.  In his final days Franklin was bedridden, and Jones reported that when Franklin was not blinded by "his tortures", he read books, was cheerful with people who came to visit him, and he was grateful of "the many blessings he had received from the Supreme Being".<ref name=DrJones />

In his later years, Franklin suffered from extremely painful afflictions, such as gout, which oftentimes made it difficult for him to stand upright.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ZbkPAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT29 "Mr. President": George Washington and the Making of the Nation's Highest Office]</ref>  His physician, Dr. John Jones, wrote that due to how much pain Franklin constantly dealt with, he prescribed him with laudanum,<ref name=DrJones>[https://books.google.com/books?id=vAdUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA543 Benjamin Franklin: his autobiography]</ref> which is a narcotic opioid.  In his final days Franklin was bedridden, and Jones reported that when Franklin was not blinded by "his tortures", he read books, was cheerful with people who came to visit him, and he was grateful of "the many blessings he had received from the Supreme Being".<ref name=DrJones />

Franklin died on April 17, 1790 at the age of 84 and was buried at [[Christ Church, Philadelphia]].  Civic-minded to the end, Franklin's will established a 200-year trust fund for Boston and Philadelphia which was to be used to train and educate young craftsmen.  Both cities have held true to Franklin's wishes, providing aid to students and establishing the Franklin Institute of Boston.

Franklin died on April 17, 1790, at the age of 84 and was buried at [[Christ Church, Philadelphia]].  Civic-minded to the end, Franklin's will established a 200-year trust fund for Boston and Philadelphia which was to be used to train and educate young craftsmen.  Both cities have held true to Franklin's wishes, providing aid to students and establishing the Franklin Institute of Boston.

==Religious Beliefs==

==Religious Beliefs==

===Join or Die===

===Join or Die===

[[Image:Join-die.jpg|thumb|290px|left]]

[[Image:Join-die.jpg|thumb|290px|left]]

The famous cartoon entitled "Join, or Die," printed on 9 May 1754 in Franklin's ''Pennsylvania Gazette'', shows a sliced up rattlesnake that forms a map of the colonies.  It is impotent unless it joins together, as nature clearly intended.  Rattlesnakes—powerful and dangerous creatures that were not found in Britain—were often used to represent America.  Georgia, the newest colony,  is missing, as is Delaware (then part of Pennsylvania). The cartoon alludes to an old myth that a snake that had been cut into pieces would come back to life if the sections were reassembled before sunset,  Franklin based his cartoon on a 17th-century French emblem book by Nicolas Verrien which includes a snake divided into two parts with the motto: 'Se rejoindre ou mourir' ('Join or die').

The famous cartoon entitled "Join, or Die," printed on 9 May 1754 in Franklin's ''Pennsylvania Gazette'', shows a sliced up rattlesnake that forms a map of the colonies.  It is impotent unless it joins, as nature clearly intended.  Rattlesnakes—powerful and dangerous creatures that were not found in Britain—were often used to represent America.  Georgia, the newest colony,  is missing, as is Delaware (then part of Pennsylvania). The cartoon alludes to an old myth that a snake that had been cut into pieces would come back to life if the sections were reassembled before sunset,  Franklin based his cartoon on a 17th-century French emblem book by Nicolas Verrien which includes a snake divided into two parts with the motto: 'Se rejoindre ou mourir' ('Join or die').

While the idea behind the illustration was Franklin's, historians have not discovered who did the actual engraving. In form the illustration follows the plan of an emblem book illustration, with a motto, a symbolic picture, and an explanatory text; Franklin even referred to it in correspondence as an "emblem."  Franklin was responsible for many visual creations, such as cartoons, designs for flags and paper money, emblems and devices. He possessed an extraordinary knowledge of symbols and heraldry.  The snake image may be a composite of those found in Mark Catesby's ''The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands'' (1731–43). The iconic image of national unity became widespread in political illustrations concerning the [[Stamp Act]] of 1765, the American Revolution, and both the Union and Confederate causes in the American Civil War.<ref>Karen Severud Cook, "Benjamin Franklin and the Snake that would not Die," ''British Library Journal'' 1996 22 (1): 88-112. 0305-5167; Mark Bryant, "The First American Political Cartoon," ''History Today'' v. 57#12 (December 2007) pp 58+. [http://www.questia.com/read/5024806593?title=The%20First%20American%20Political%20Cartoon online edition]</ref>

While the idea behind the illustration was Franklin's, historians have not discovered who did the actual engraving. In form the illustration follows the plan of an emblem book illustration, with a motto, a symbolic picture, and an explanatory text; Franklin even referred to it in correspondence as an "emblem."  Franklin was responsible for many visual creations, such as cartoons, designs for flags and paper money, emblems and devices. He possessed an extraordinary knowledge of symbols and heraldry.  The snake image may be a composite of those found in Mark Catesby's ''The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands'' (1731–43). The iconic image of national unity became widespread in political illustrations concerning the [[Stamp Act]] of 1765, the American Revolution, and both the Union and Confederate causes in the American Civil War.<ref>Karen Severud Cook, "Benjamin Franklin and the Snake that would not Die," ''British Library Journal'' 1996 22 (1): 88-112. 0305-5167; Mark Bryant, "The First American Political Cartoon," ''History Today'' v. 57#12 (December 2007) pp 58+. [http://www.questia.com/read/5024806593?title=The%20First%20American%20Political%20Cartoon online edition]</ref>

*[http://sln.fi.edu/franklin/family/lastwill.html Franklin's Last Will & Testament] Transcription.

*[http://sln.fi.edu/franklin/family/lastwill.html Franklin's Last Will & Testament] Transcription.

==See Also==

==See also==

* [[Daylight Savings Time | Erroneous attribution of Daylight Savings Time to Benjamin Franklin]]

* [[Daylight Savings Time|Erroneous attribution of Daylight Savings Time to Benjamin Franklin]]

==References and Notes==

==References and Notes==