Benjamin Franklin -
Most people think of Ben Franklin as a patriot but that is not the only legacy he gave to our country. He was a scientist, inventor, and statesman. It is hard to believe that such a genius received little professional schooling. As a child Franklin attended school for one year. He loved to read and after he left school he taught himself languages, math and science just by reading books. He was twelve when he became a printing apprentice. At age seventeen he ran away from home and moved to Philadelphia. There he worked for a printer while he saved money. Once he had saved enough money, he began his own printing business.
The City of Philadelphia had very few skilled printers. Franklin was ambitious and a hard worker. The Pennsylvania government noticed Ben’s achievements and hired him to print documents for the Commonwealth. During this time Ben also printed the Pennsylvania Gazette. The paper was founded by another man but Ben made it worth reading. One of his most recognized publications was Poor Richard’s Almanac. The publication became the second most popular in the colonies. This publication was important because it told the colonists when to plant crops, it gave them a calendar of the holidays, and witty maxims among other things. It was Ben’s commonsense philosophy in print.
While living in Philadelphia Ben also helped organize the fire department and police force. During a business visit to London, Ben observed how the city put out fires. This made him worry about Philadelphia. He knew that Philadelphia was not prepared for a massive fire. When Franklin returned to the colonies, he discussed his concerns with his colleagues. He decided to write something about fire prevention in his newspaper. Under the pen name of A.A. he warned about fire dangers and recommended safety precautions. He brought up the idea of a fire club to help fight fires. The city agreed so Ben took on the responsibility of organizing the first...
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