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==Civic leader==
==Civic leader==
Franklin became Philadelphia's leading citizen, founding a sanitation department, a fire brigade, the American Philosophical Society, and the first circulating library in British North America.
Franklin became Philadelphia's leading citizen, founding many civic organizations. After 1727 he usually operated through "the Junto", also known as the Leather Apron Club, a club comprising friends, civil leaders and fellow tradesmen. He established America's first subscription library, the Library Company of Philadelphia, in 1731. In 1736, he organized the first volunteer fire department, the Union Fire Company. In 1743, he expanded the idea of the Junto to all of the colonies by organizing the [[American Philosophical Society]]. He helped fund the first hospital and planned a professional police force.
Franklin guided the establishment of the "College of Philadelphia" (now the [[University of Pennsylvania]]), which was nonsectarian. It was a new type of institution, unlike rival colleges it did not primarily train clergy. Instead it educated students for careers in the professions and business and for public service. It established America's first modern liberal arts curriculum."<ref>see [http://www.upenn.edu/about/heritage.php online]</ref>
Franklin helped create the Pennsylvania Militia, independent of the colonial government. The repeated [[French and Indian Wars]] were a threat to the frontier, as the French based in Canada organized and armed Indians who raided the frontier settlements. The government was controlled by the Penn family and the [[Quakers]], who refused to organize any military defense. In November 1747, Franklin wrote a pamphlet called ''Plain Truth'' in which he advocated the creation of a defense force, since the government would not do so. The pamphlet was enthusiastically received, and Franklin organized and helped the colony fund a 10,000 man militia.
==Inventor==
==Inventor==
By age 42, Franklin was wealthy enough to retire from publishing and devote most of his time to his scientific pursuits.
By age 42, Franklin was wealthy enough to retire from publishing and devote most of his time to his scientific pursuits.
In 1751, after serving as a clerk 15 years, Franklin was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly. He used his new position to advance civic projects such as pushing legislation to maintain and light the streets. One of the primary issues faced by the Assembly was keeping their frontier border safe from Indian attacks orchestrated by the French. There was frequent conflict between the Assembly and the Proprietary leadership of the Penn family. The Penns controlled a vast majority of the lands in Pennsylvania, however, forbid them to be taxed which hampered the Assembly's ability to build an adequate militia. In 1753, Franklin was promoted to the position of Deputy Postmaster for the Colonies, which he would share with William Hunter, by the British government. The industrious Franklin, who frequently took inspection tours throughout the colonies, revamped the postal system to be more efficient, speeding up delivery times and creating the home delivery system. From visiting the colonies first hand, coupled with the increasing need for frontier defense, led Franklin to believe that some form of unification of the colonies was necessary. In June 1754, a conference was called by the London Board of Trade to meet in Albany, New York to discuss a more unified defense. Franklin presented his [[Albany Plan of Union]], which called for a "General Government" that dealt solely with defense and left all other legislation to the colonies. The Plan was approved by the conference but was unanimously rejected by the colonial assemblies.
In 1751, after serving as a clerk 15 years, Franklin was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly. He used his new position to advance civic projects such as pushing legislation to maintain and light the streets. One of the primary issues faced by the Assembly was keeping their frontier border safe from Indian attacks orchestrated by the French. There was frequent conflict between the Assembly and the Proprietary leadership of the Penn family. The Penns controlled a vast majority of the lands in Pennsylvania, however, forbid them to be taxed which hampered the Assembly's ability to build an adequate militia. In 1753, Franklin was promoted to the position of Deputy Postmaster for the Colonies, which he would share with William Hunter, by the British government. The industrious Franklin, who frequently took inspection tours throughout the colonies, revamped the postal system to be more efficient, speeding up delivery times and creating the home delivery system. From visiting the colonies first hand, coupled with the increasing need for frontier defense, led Franklin to believe that some form of unification of the colonies was necessary. In June 1754, a conference was called by the London Board of Trade to meet in Albany, New York to discuss a more unified defense. Franklin presented his [[Albany Plan of Union]], which called for a "General Government" that dealt solely with defense and left all other legislation to the colonies. The Plan was approved by the conference but was unanimously rejected by the colonial assemblies.
==Colonial agent in London==
==Colonial agent in London==
In 1757, Franklin went to [[London]] to represent Pennsylvania in its quarrel with [[William Penn]]’s heirs (Pennsylvania was the last of the propriety colonies). He remained abroad for eighteen years, not returning to American until 1775.
In 1757, Franklin went to [[London]] to represent Pennsylvania in its quarrel with [[William Penn]]’s heirs (Pennsylvania was the last of the propriety colonies). He remained abroad for eighteen years, not returning to American until 1775. He was invited to join the "Lunar Society" in [[Birmingham]], where he met many iontellectuals and leaders of the emerging [[Industrial Revolution]]
Franklin also represented several other colonies and became a regular observer, and unofficial representative of the colonies. In 1765, he assured British politicians that Americans would accept the [[Stamp Act]], but news of colonial protest caused him to back away from that position. Afterwards, Franklin regularly opposed British attempts to tax the colonies.
===Mission to London===
===Mission to London===