Benjamin Franklin
American inventor and politician

Born
January 17th, 1706
319 years ago
Died
April 17th, 1790
235 years ago — 84 years old
Category
Leaders & Politicians
Country
United States
Links & References
Born in 1706, this individual was a prominent American statesman, inventor, and publisher. He played a significant role in the American Enlightenment and the founding of the United States. As the sixth President of Pennsylvania, he advocated for democracy and civic responsibility. Franklin was also instrumental in drafting the Declaration of Independence and negotiated the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War. His experiments with electricity led to several inventions, including the lightning rod. Additionally, he founded the first public library in America and the University of Pennsylvania.
Negotiated the Treaty of Paris, 1783
Served as the sixth President of Pennsylvania
Conducted key experiments in electricity
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