Memorable Quotations from Benjamin Franklin

Born in Boston, Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was an American statesman, printer, scientist, and writer. In 1723, he went to Philadelphia as a printer and gained notice for his wittiness and commonsense philosophy, particularly as conveyed in Poor Richard's Almanack. He helped form an academy in 1751 that became the University of Pennsylvania, and he served as deputy postmaster general of the colonies from 1753 to 1774. His renowned experiment with a kite in a thunderstorm verified the presence of electricity in lightning. Franklin suggested a plan of union for the colonies at the Albany Congress in 1754 and was agent for numerous colonies in England. Returning to America in 1775, he helped prepare the Declaration of Independence, which he signed. During the American Revolution he was an effective American agent in France and was appointed, in 1781, a commissioner to negotiate the peace with Britain. Franklin's final notable public service was his presence at the Federal Constitutional Convention in 1787. His autobiography is legendary.