Benjamin Franklin - Printer
As a child, Benjamin F. loved to read, write, and collect books; so when it came time to choose a trade, Ben's father decided Ben would become a printer. At the age of twelve, Ben started as an apprentice with Ben's older brother James. At the age of twenty-two, Ben opened his own printing shop. Ben's newspaper, the Pennsylvania Gazette became very popular and profitable. A few years later, Poor Richard's Almanack was released and soon became the best selling book in the colonies, selling over 10,000 copies a year. Soon, Ben became the most active printer in the colonies and was appointed the official printer of Pennsylvania. Ben's duties included printing money, laws, and documents for the colony. he then became the public printer for Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland. he also helped establish newspapers in New York, Connecticut, and two islands in the West Indies.
Benjamin Franklin 1767
Portrait of Benjamin Franklin
This (attributed to ) originally appeared during t...Benjamin Franklin - Librarian
Books were very expensive during my time and therefore not everyone was able to afford them. Some fellow printers and Ben, known as the Leather Apron Club (because most of us wore leather aprons) discussed ways they could help the community. Through Ben's suggestion, they started a lending library that was open to everyone. They would pool our money and buy books, which people could borrow.
So, in 1731, the first lending library in America opened. Soon, other towns began to imitate the library, until reading became fashionable even among the less educated.
Benjamin Franklin - Inventor
At the age of forty-two, I retired from printing to explore my other interests. I devoted this time to inventing. During my life, I invented many things, including:
Swim fins, bifocals, a glass armonica, watertight bulkheads for ships, the lightning rod, an odometer, and the wood stove (called...