Ben Franklin: Early Life In his many careers as a printer, moralist, essayist, civic leader, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, and philosopher, for later generations of Americans he became both a spokesman and a model for the national character. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts on Jan. 17, 1706, into a religious Puritan household. His father, Josiah, was a candlemaker and a skillful mechanic. His mother, Abiah Ben’s parents raised thirteen children--the survivors of Josiah’s seventeen …showed first 75 words of 3250 total…

…showed last 75 words of 3250 total…was a rich source of prudent and clever aphorisms on the value of economy, hard work, and the simple life. WORKS CITED 1. “Benjamin Franklin.” Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. 1998 ed. CD-ROM. Danbury: Grolier Interactive Inc., 1998. 2. Franklin, Benjamin The Autobiography and other writings of Benjamin Franklin. Donovan, Frank, ed. New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1963. 3. Ketcham, Ralph “Benjamin Franklin.” Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia. Vol.8. New York: Lexicon Publications Inc., 1989. 282-284. 4. http://library.advanced.org/22254/home.htm 5. http://www-lj.eb.com/