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A truly amazing and brilliant American, Benjamin Franklin is. He was born January 17th, 1706, one of 17 children and the youngest of the 15 males. Benjamin was born into a family that made soaps and candles, while his elder brother, James, worked as a printer.

Franklin only got a couple years of schooling, but he did not limit his education to the schools. He learned through reading and anything he could get his hands on. Sometimes his father disapproved of this, especially when Ben would tinker with 'inventions' at his young age. Despite his lack of proper education he was brilliant, even in his youth, and had ambition.

For years Benjamin Franklin worked as an apprentice for his older brother, James, in the printing press. But when he wasn't allowed to write for it he went under the pen name of "Silence Dogood" and wrote letters to the paper that were published and recognized. However no one knew that it was Ben Franklin that played the part of that middle-aged woman with her wise letters.

Eventually Ben Franklin escaped his apprenticeship under James and ran away to Philadelphia on a small boat. From then on it was a new start for Benjamin Franklin and he took up many jobs, did many amazing things.

We all know that Benjamin Franklin was an inventor. He created the lightning rod, the bifocals, a furnace stove, odometer and the Armonica. He also came up with Daylight Savings time and a map of the Gulf Stream, amongst other things.

He is also famous for his Poor Richard's Almanac and the Junto, a group of people that try to 'better lives and the community'.

Franklin was political minded, he created the cartoon message of a sliced up snake saying 'Join or Die', meaning the United States (segments of the snake) need to come to together and unit, or the country will fail; just as a hacked up snake will die if separated and not complete. Ben was also the '23rd Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Rep.' and the '6th President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania.'

The things Franklin did for America are still seen today and have surely bettered society. Benjamin Franklin was a brilliant man all throughout his life, an avid learner even when discouraged by others and lacking learning materials, and a man dedicated to making the community better and succeeding at all he does.

Ben died April 17th, 1790 and he was honored in many ways. On his grave he wanted the following to be written:

"The Body of B. Franklin Printer; Like the Cover of an old Book, Its Contents torn out, And stript of its Lettering and Gilding, Lies here, Food for Worms. But the Work shall not be wholly lost: For it will, as he believ'd, appear once more, In a new & more perfect Edition, Corrected and Amended By the Author. He was born on January 17, 1706. Died 17." (Taken directly from Wiki) However, that message was not engraved as he wished it to be.
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Sources: Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia & Text Books
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