The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin

1706 Born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 17
1718 Begins an apprenticeship in his brother James' printing shop in Boston
1723 Age 17, leaves his family, running away to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1724 Moves to London, continuing his training as a printer
1726 Returns to Philadelphia
1728 Opens his own Printing Office in Philadelphia
1729 Becomes sole owner and publisher of the Pennsylvania Gazette
1730 Marries Deborah Read Rogers
1731 Birth of Ben's son William; Founds the first Circulating Library
1732 Birth of Ben's son Francis
1732- Annually, publishes Poor Richard: An Almanack
1758
1736 Death of Ben's young son Francis; Founds the Union Fire Company
in Philadelphia
1737 Appointed Postmaster of Philadelphia
1742 Proposes the idea for the University of Pennsylvania
1743 Birth of Ben's daughter Sarah, also known as "Sally"
1745 Death of Ben's father, Josiah Franklin
1747 First writings of electrical experimentation; organizes the first Militia
1748 Sells printing office, retiring from business
1751 His book Experiments and Observations on Electricity is
published in London
1752 In June, performs famous kite experiment; Death of Ben's mother,
Abiah Folger Franklin; Founds first American fire insurance company
1757- Travels in London as representative of
1762 the Pennsylvania Assembly
1762 Returns to Philadelphia
1764 Travels to London
1767 Travels to France
1769 Elected president of the American Philosophical Society
1774 The Hutchinson Letters Affair damages
Franklin's reputation; While in London, Ben receives word of
his wife's death
1775 Returns to Philadelphia; Elected to Continental
Congress; Submits Articles of Confederation of United Colonies
1776 Signs the Declaration of Independence; Presides at
Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention;
Sails to France as American Commissioner
1778 Negotiates and signs Treaty of Alliance with France
1779 Appointed Minister to France
1782 Negotiates, with John Adams and John Jay, the
Treaty of Peace with Great Britain
1783 While in Paris, watches the Montgolfier brothers
become the first men to fly in a balloon
1784 Negotiates treaties with Prussia and other European countries
1785 Returns to Philadelphia
1787 Elected president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting
the Abolition of Slavery; Serves as delegate to the
Constitutional Convention
1790 At age 84, Benjamin Franklin dies in Philadelphia on April 17
Source(s):
http://sln.fi.edu/franklin/timeline/timeline.html

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