Young Ben Franklin wanted to be a sailor and see the world beyond colonial Boston. Instead, he learned the printing trade and became the most famous American of his day. He was the best-known writer, scientist, and inventor in the New World.
Europeans admired Franklin, too. They were impressed by his discoveries—especially his experiments with electricity. They also enjoyed the common sense and humor that made his Poor Richard’s Almanack an international bestseller.
Franklin was the oldest—and many believe the wisest—of the United States’ founders. He was a lawmaker, the postmaster general, a diplomat, and a statesman. He helped write both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. He talked the French into taking the American side during the Revolutionary War, and he negotiated peace with Britain. Ben Franklin was quite a man.
