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BENJAMINFRANKLIN:LiveWire,writtenbyJanet&GeoffBenge.BenjaminFranklinwasaprinter,writer,inventorandscientistwhomadegreatcontributiontothestudyofelectric.HewasalsooneofthemostimportantpoliticianswholaidthefoundationofAmerica.BenjaminFranklinwasbornin1706inBoston.Hisfamilymadealivingbymakingsoapandcandles.WhenBenwaslittlehisfatherdecidedthatBenshouldbecomeaclergyman.HewassenttoBostonGrammarSchooltolearnLatinasthefirstpartofhisclergymantrainingwhenhewaseight.Benprovedtobeagoodstudentwithaquickmind.Atthattimehefoundagreatloveofreading.LaterBen’sfatherandunclefoundthatBendidnotlikeprayingsomuch,sotheychangedtheideaoftraininghimtobeaclergyman.BenwasthenenrolledinGeorgeBrownwell’SchooltolearnWritingandArithmetic.Onlyoneyearlater,Benwaswithdrewoutofschoolagain.Bythenhehadspentonlytwoyearsinschool.Hisparentsthoughtitwastimeforhimtostartworkinginthefamilysoap-andcandle-makingbusiness.Benhatedmakingsoapandcandles,becausehecouldn’tgetridofthesmellonhisskin.Finally,afterconsideringmanyotheroccupations,BenbecameanapprenticeinhisbrotherJames’printshop.Helearnedthebusinessquicklyandprovedtobeagoodprinter.Hestillcarriedagreatloveofbooksandheusedtosavehismoneyformealstobuybooks.OnecustomoftheprintshopMatthewAdams,whoownedthebiggestprivatelibraryinBoston,offeredBenachancetoborrowbookstoread.ThatwasagreatpleasuretoBen,andheoftenreadthebookatnightandsentitbackinthemorning.In1721Jamesstartedpublishinghisownnewspaper,theNewEnglandCourant.TherewerealwaysscathingarticlesaboutthecolonialgovernmentpublishedandJamesgothimselfthrownintojailsometimes.Ben’srelationshipwithJamesdidn’tgoonsmoothly,theyhadamassiveproblemonwhoshouldownthenewspaperwhichfinallyleadBentothinkaboutworkinginanotherplace.SoheleftwithoutsayinginSeptember1723.Histripleavingforanotherplacewasn’tsafeandsound,heheadedforNewYork,butafterfindingnojobsinNewYork,hewasrecommendedtoPhiladelphia.IntheendhesettledtoworkwithaprintshopbelongedtoSamuelKeimer.HeboardedinMr.andMrs.Read’shouse,wherehefellinlovewiththeirdaughter,DebbyRead.OnedaygovernorKeith,whowasanacquaintancetoBen’sbrother-in-lawCaptainRobertHomes,cametoseeBen,suggestedthatBenshouldstarthisownprintshopandguaranteedhimallthegovernmentprintingjobsforPennsylvaniaandDelaware.Bencan’thelpbeingexcitedabouttheidea.In1724,BenboardedashiptoEnglandwherehewassupposedtogetalltheequipmentheneededwithKeith’sletterofcreditandintroduction,hewasfilledwithhopewhentheshiparrivedbuthefoundthatKeithhadfailedtogivehimallthelettersheneeded.HehadnochoicebuttoliveonhisowninLondon.Bythetimehesavedenoughmoneyforatripback,itwastwoyearslater.Helearnedalotaboutlifeduringthisaccidentaltrip.WhenhewasfinallybackinPhiladelphia,manythingshadchanged.Debby,towhomhewasengaged,hadmarriedamanwithabadreputation.BenstartedhisownprintshopwiththehelpofHughMeredithin1728.Hedidallthelowlyjobshimselfduetoatightcirculationofmoney.HebeganpublishinghisownnewspaperPennsylvaniaGazettetorivaltheAmericanMercury.Debby’shusbandleftherperhapsforanotherwife,andin1730,DebbyandBenstartedafamily.Withhisprintshopprospecting,thereseemedtobeabrightfutureaheadofhim.PennsylvaniaGazettebecameaverypopularnewspaperandBenstartedsellingalmanacPoorRichard’sAlmanackwrittenbyhimself.Slowlyhisfamilystartedtogetrich.ThenextthinghethoughtaboutwastofindawaytoimprovePhiladelphia.Hehadalreadyestablishedacirculatinglibrarywhichlentbookstothegeneralpublic,andithadbeenabenefittothesociety,andthenhewasthinkingaboutpavingthestreetsofPhiladelphia.Hewroteaboutthesuggestionsonhisnewspaperandpavedonestreetasanexample.Soonpeoplefoundtheadvantagesofpavedstreetsandabillwasdraftedtohavethestreetsintheentirecitypaved,aswellaslightened.AfterlosinghissecondsonFrancis,hefellingreatsorrow,andhethrewhimselfintomakingPhiladelphiabetter.HemadeaplanwiththePhiladelphiaassemblytoestablishfirecompaniesandpoliceforce.Itturnedoutthathisideaworkedwell.Hekeptonbeinguseful.Heinventedanewstovethatusedlesswoodthanbeforeanditwasmoreefficienttoo.Debbygavebirthtoababygirlin1744andshewasnamedSally.Since1744Benstartedtostudythenatureofelectric.Bythenpeopleonlyknewthatifcertainthingswererubbed,itcouldattractlightthings.Benusedseveralnewwordstodescribesomephenomenon,suchas‘conductor’and‘insulator’,etc.HewrotetoscientistsinEuropeaboutwhathefound,andhisachievementswererecognized.Stillhewonderedthenatureoflightening.Ashypothesizeitwasalsoelectric.TotestifythetheoryBenandhissonWilliamcarriedthefamousexperimentofflyingkiteintheraintoextractthelightening.Thetheorywasprovedright,andaccordingthisBeninventedthelighteningrod.Hewasgreatlyhonoredforhisfindings.AtthattimeconflictsalwayshappenedbetweenAmericaandnativeIndians,orBritishandFrance.Bensuggestedthatthereshouldbeaunitedgovernmentforthecolonytodefendthemselves,hewrotethatit’seither“JoinorDie”,butfewagreedwithit.PennsylvaniawasownedbythePennfamily,whorefusedtopaytaxesforthelandpeopleweredefending,andBenwassenttoEnglandaccompaniedbyWilliamasanofficialrepresentativetonegotiatewiththeParliamentaboutthis.ThiswashissecondtriptoLondon.Hefinallymadethedealandreturnedfiveyearslater.Afterhecameba