Benjamin Franklin, American Genius: His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS R MY THANKS to the Chael family for helping to test the activities Thanks to Paul Miller for supplying the computer expertise I sadly lack My thanks to Janeen Coyle for visiting Craven Street in London My deep appreciation to the Huntington Library Art Collections and Botanical Gardens in San Mari no California for use of the painting Benjamin Frank lin Appearing before the Privy Council by Christian Schussele I'd especially like to mention the Benjamin Frank lin Institute of Technology in Boston which has gra ciously allowed me to use its 1908 Charles Mills paintings based on Franklin's life The really fun
aspect is that the Institute was founded in part with money bequeathed in Benjamin Franklin's will to aid apprentices in his hometown This book is much richer thanks to the Institute's generous
TIME LINE 1706 Franklin born in Boston Massachusetts on January 17 1718 Begins an apprenticeship in his brother's printing shop 1723 Runs away to Philadelphia 1724 Moves to London and continues his training as a printer 1726 Founds the Leather Apron Club later known as the Junto 1727 Returns to Philadelphia 1728 Opens his own printing shop in Philadelphia 1729 Becomes publisher of the Pennsylvania Gazette 1730 Married by common law Deborah Read 1731 Founds the first circulating library 1732 Begins publishing Poor Richard An Almanack 1736 Founds the Union Fire Company 1743 Birth of his daughter Sarah Sally 1748 Retires from business 1751 His book Experiments and Observations on Electricity is published in London Founds the Pennsylvania Acad emy later known as the University of Pennsylvania 1752 Famous kite experiment proves lightning is electricity 1757 In London as agent for the colony of Pennsylvania 62 1762 Returns to Philadelphia 1764 Back in London 1774 The Hutchinson Letters Affair damages Franklin's rep utation 1775 Back in Philadelphia serves in Second Continental Congress 1776 Signs the Declaration of Independence Serves as presi dent of Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention Becomes American commissioner to France 1778 Negotiates Treaty of Alliance with France Appointed sole minister plenipotentiary to France
1782 Helps negotiate Treaty of Peace with Great Britain final treaty signed September 1783 1783 Witnesses the first hot air balloon flights in Paris 1785 Returns to Philadelphia 1787 Elected president of the Pennsylvania Society for Pro moting the Abolition of Slavery and the Relief of Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage Serves as a dele gate to the Constitutional Convention 1790 Dies on April 17 at age 84
