Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston in 1706. He served as an apprentice printer to his older brother, but then fled to Philadelphia at the age of 17. There he established himself as an entrepreneur printer. He printed books, a newspaper and an almanac, which is a book of basic information useful to farmers. He also penned little sayings like “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” and “a penny saved is a penny earned.”

By 1745, he was already getting ready to retire. Thanks to the wealth he had amassed, he was now able to devote himself to scientific research and public service. By flying a kite during a thunderstorm, he proved that lightning is electricity. He founded a college that later became the University of Pennsylvania. He would later become one of the thinkers of the American Revolution in the 1770s.

Author: Léon Robichaud

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