Benjamin Franklin
aka Jason S.

Hi, I am Benjamin Franklin and I was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston, MA. and died on April 17, 1790 in my Philadelphia home.

My childhood was basically working hard in school and working for the family. I worked at my dad's candle-and-soap making shop. However I really hated shaping wicks for the candles because it was a long process. In addition, I also disliked stirring the hot, boiling tallow for our soaps. I was glad that my dad took pity on me while I worked at his shop but he wanted me to work in the construction business. I wanted to do my childhood dream and that was to go out to sea. Soon I had to serve as an apprentice for nine years with my brother, James' printing business.

My gifts or talent as a child that led me to becoming famous was being a smart kid, loving arithmetic and reading, learning Latin and being a fine speller, which led me to becoming an inventor. I made lots of thing like the Franklin stove, which is a fireplace, a new clock, an artificial arm, a library chair, security mirrors, and bifocal glasses.

When I was an adult I did lots of famous things. I started the Pennsylvania Gazette, published the first edition of the Poor Richard's Almanack, served the Pennsylvania Assembly, flew a kite into a powerful thunderstorm, and I was the one that proved lightning and electricity are one and the same, invented a lightning rod, and signed the Declaration of Independence. After I signed it I never liked my brother because he was a loyalist.

I spent the final years of my life by helping in the final years of the American Revolution, but stayed at my house in Philadelphia, PA. In 1751 the battle of Yorktown happened. In 1783 I helped negotiate the British and U.S. peace treaty and at the age of 82 I helped write the U.S. Constitution.

Yes, I did have a mentor that helped model me and that would be my dad, Josiah. He believed and supported me. Since I was smart, he felt I should work for him when I turned ten-years-old and at twelve years, I should be an apprentice for my brother, James.

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