Benjamin Franklin is one of the most important people in the history of American. He contributed to philosophy, politics, science, and diplomacy. Because of his accomplishments, he played a significant role in the American Revolution and the early history of the United States. This biography will include Franklin’s age, wealth, scientific discoveries, diplomatic endeavors, political career, and family.
| Full Name : | Benjamin Franklin |
| Born : | January 17, 1706, Boston, Massachusetts |
| Died : | April 17, 1790, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Net Worth (at Death) : | Estimated at $100,000 (equivalent to $3-4 million today) |
| Notable Inventions: | Franklin stove, bifocal glasses, lightning rod |
Age and Early Life
Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 17, 1706. Franklin had problems early in life since he was one of 17 children in a poor Puritan family. His mother, Abiah Folger, was his second wife, and his father, Josiah Franklin, was a candlemaker. At the age of 10, Franklin had to quit Boston Latin School to work and feed his family. He became an apprentice to his brother James, who was a printer when Franklin was 12 years old.
Franklin lived to reach 84 years old before dying in Philadelphia on April 17, 1790, leaving behind a legacy that lasted for over a century.
Benjamin Franklin’s Net Worth
Even though it’s difficult to quantify exactly, Benjamin Franklin was rich by the standards of his time. Franklin is estimated to have had a net worth of around $100,000 at the time of his death, which, adjusted for inflation, would be around $3 million to $4 million in today’s money.
| Net Worth | $100,000 |
Benjamin Franklin’s Scientific Research
For his age, Benjamin Franklin’s scientific works were revolutionary, and he is currently known for the same. It is interesting how his interests stretched from meteorology to electricity and he is renowned for having influenced several scientific disciplines into being.
- Electricity
In 1752, Franklin performed his most famous scientific experiment, flying a kite in the rain to show that lightning was a form of electricity. His experiment led him to create the lightning rod, which protected structures from lightning, transformed our knowledge of electricity.
Franklin also coined a number of electrical words that are in use today, such as positive, negative, and battery. He became world-famous for his work on electricity, which also formed a basis for subsequent discoveries.
- The Stove in Franklin
Franklin invented a better heating apparatus known as Franklin stove, in which less amount of fuel resulted in more amount of heat and gained popularity with colonies within weeks of its designs. - Bifocal lenses
Franklin is credited with creating bifocal spectacles to aid nearsighted and farsighted people. His design, with two lenses, eliminated the need to switch between two pairs of glasses, making it possible for wearers to see properly at varying distances. - Meteorology and Oceanography
His observations on the Gulf Stream enhanced sailors’ navigation significantly. To further improve long-distance maritime navigation, he contributed to the study of weather patterns and ocean currents.
Benjamin Franklin’s Diplomacy
During the American Revolution, Franklin was an important diplomat and assisted the colonies to gain support across the world. The United States was also established due to his diplomatic skills in large part.
- French ambassador
Franklin’s most important diplomatic success was his appointment as the American ambassador to France in 1776. Franklin won France for the American Revolution and was very popular in France, being charming, humorous, and possessing a strong sense of diplomacy.
He played a large part in the 1778 Treaty of Alliance signed between France and the United States. This alliance considerably assisted the cause of the Americans winning the Revolution because it enabled them to attain important financial and military support through this alliance from France.
- The 1783 Treaty of Paris
In 1783, Franklin, among other American delegates, negotiated the Treaty of Paris, which formally ended the Revolutionary War by recognizing American sovereignty. Franklin managed to negotiate a number of good deals for this young country in this treaty, one of which included purchasing a lot of territory
Benjamin Franklin’s Political Career
Like his scientific pursuits, Franklin had a long political career. Both the colonial and early national governments relied heavily on him.
- Early Career in Politics
Franklin was a strong activist for colonial unification in the 1730s. Before being appointed as postmaster general for the colonies, he was already a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly. Franklin had a great deal to do with the writing of the Declaration of Independence and represented Pennsylvania in the Second Continental Congress.
- The Convention on Constitutionalism
Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers who journeyed to Philadelphia in 1787 for the Constitutional Convention. He was the oldest delegate at eighty-one years of age and his experience and understanding were used to steer the debates. Franklin played a pivotal role in facilitating compromise and his endorsement of the US Constitution made it easier for its ratification.
- Views on Abolition
He then turned out to be one of the apostles of abolition of slavery. He supported gradual abolition of slavery in Pennsylvania and went on to become a member of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society.
Benjamin Franklin’s Family Life
Franklin’s personal life had both moments of success and failure. At times, even if Franklin had the tension in relation to his family ties, still they were always part of him.
- Deborah Read Franklin is the wife.
Franklin married Deborah Read in 1730 after a long courtship. During most of his diplomatic and scientific missions overseas, Deborah ran their family and business back home. The couple had two children together. Deborah died in 1774 just before Franklin’s return from France. - Offspring: William Franklin:
William, Franklin’s only biological son, was born in 1730. A division arose between him and his father due to his loyalty to Britain during the Revolution and his appointment as the Royal Governor of New Jersey. He was imprisoned after the war and then moved to England.
Francis Franklin: Franklin and his wife were profoundly impacted when their second son, Francis, passed away from smallpox in 1736 at the early age of 4. - Grandchildren:
During the Revolution, one of Franklin’s granddaughters, Sarah Franklin Bache, organized activities and helped collect money for the Continental Army.
