Changes

==Early Life==

==Early Life==

Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]], [[Massachusetts]] into a Puritan family.  His father was Josiah Franklin, a soap and candle maker,  twice married with 17 children.  Benjamin briefly worked as an apprentice under his father before being apprenticed at age 12 to his brother James Franklin, one of the first American printers.  James created the first independent newspaper in the colonies, a weekly publication called the ''[[New England Courant]]''.  The ''Courant'' became Franklin's first public forum for his essays, written under the pseudonym "Silence Dogood."  Franklin, pretending to be a widow, wrote 14 essays between April and October 1722.  The ''Courant'' drew the anger of the local authorities, who prohibited James from publishing it, citing that it mocked religion.  In order to continue printing, James released his brother from his apprenticeship and named him the publisher; Benjamin used this release to his advantage, escaping the control of his overbearing brother by running away to [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]] at the age of 17.

Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]] into a Puritan family.  His father was Josiah Franklin, a soap and candle maker,  twice married with 17 children.  Benjamin briefly worked as an apprentice under his father before being apprenticed at age 12 to his brother James Franklin, one of the first American printers.  James created the first independent newspaper in the colonies, a weekly publication called the ''[[New England Courant]]''.  The ''Courant'' became Franklin's first public forum for his essays, written under the pseudonym "Silence Dogood."  Franklin, pretending to be a widow, wrote 14 essays between April and October 1722.  The ''Courant'' drew the anger of the local authorities, who prohibited James from publishing it, citing that it mocked religion.  In order to continue printing, James released his brother from his apprenticeship and named him the publisher; Benjamin used this release to his advantage, escaping the control of his overbearing brother by running away to [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]] at the age of 17.

==Philadelphia Printer ==

==Philadelphia Printer ==