Flying Kites and Changing History: The Genius of Benjamin Franklin

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From School Dropout to Printing Prodigy

You might think someone as important as Benjamin Franklin must have spent years in school, but that’s not the case!

Franklin stopped going to school when he was just ten years old. Instead, he taught himself by reading everything he could find.

At age 12, he started working for his brother as an apprentice in a print shop, where he learned how to write and publish newspapers. This experience helped him develop into a skilled writer and communicator.

When Franklin was 17, he left Boston and moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to start a new life. He eventually opened his own printing shop, where he published the Pennsylvania Gazette, one of the most popular newspapers in the colonies.

His writing skills also helped him create Poor Richard’s Almanack, a yearly book filled with weather forecasts, advice, and famous sayings like, “A penny saved is a penny earned.”

A Leader in the Community

Franklin didn’t just print newspapers—he helped build the community around him. He started Philadelphia’s first library, fire department, and police force.

He also played a big role in improving mail delivery. The British government made him the postmaster of Philadelphia in 1737, and later, he became the postmaster for all the American colonies.

After the colonies broke away from Britain, Franklin became the first Postmaster General of the United States, helping to create a postal system that still exists today.

The Road to Revolution

Long before the Revolutionary War, Franklin believed the American colonies should work together.

In 1754, he introduced the Albany Plan, a proposal to unite the colonies under one government. While the plan was rejected, it later helped inspire the creation of the Articles of Confederation, the United States’ first constitution.

Franklin also stood up to Britain when the government tried to tax the colonies unfairly. He spoke out against the Stamp Act, a law that forced colonists to pay extra money for paper goods.

His speeches and writings helped convince the British to repeal the tax.

Founding a Nation

In 1775, Franklin returned to America and was chosen as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, where he helped draft the Declaration of Independence. While Thomas Jefferson wrote most of it, Franklin helped edit and improve the document.

After the colonies declared independence, Franklin was sent to France to convince the French to support the American cause. Thanks to his efforts, France provided money, supplies, and soldiers to help America win the Revolutionary War.

When the war ended, Franklin was part of the team that negotiated the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which officially ended the war and made Britain recognize the United States as an independent country.

Later, Franklin helped write the U.S. Constitution, creating the foundation for the American government. At 81 years old, he was one of the oldest members of the Constitutional Convention!

The Inventor Who Shocked the World

Franklin wasn’t just a political leader—he was also a scientist and an inventor.

His most famous experiment involved flying a kite in a thunderstorm to prove that lightning was a form of electricity. This led to his invention of the lightning rod, which protects buildings from lightning strikes.

Here are a few of Franklin's other notable inventions.

Bifocal glasses allow people to see near and far without switching glasses.

The Franklin stove was a more efficient way to heat homes.

The glass armonica is a musical instrument made from spinning glass bowls.

Unlike many inventors, Franklin never patented his ideas. He wanted everyone to benefit from them instead of making money off of them!

Franklin’s life was full of adventure, discovery, and innovation. He helped shape the country, improve communities, and invent useful things we still use today.

Now that you know more about his incredible contributions, it's time to test what you’ve learned! Move to the Got It? section to check your knowledge with some fun activities.