1. Benjamin Franklin
Journalist, publisher, author, philanthropist,
postmaster, abolitionist, public servant, scientist,
librarian, diplomat, inventor and…. Total Leader?
Matthew Bailey

2. Brief Bio
• Born: 17JAN1706
• Died: 17APR1790 (84)
• 1715 – Leaves School (family couldn’t afford
further education)
• 1718 – Became a publisher’s apprentice to his
Brother James.
• 1723 – Takes over the New England Courant
after his brother is jailed. Once his brother is
released, he breaks the law and runs away to
Philadelphia.
• 1730 - Marries
• 1733 – Begins publishing Poor Richard’s
Almanac.
• 1775 – Elected to be one of PA’s delegates to
the 2nd Continental Congress
• 1776 – Arrives as American Ambassador to
French Court
• 1778 – Signs French Alliance
• 1783 – Signs Treaty of Paris
• 1787 – Signs the U.S. Constitution

3. Accomplishments
• Inventor: Swim Fins, Bifocals, the Franklin Stove, Flexible Urinary Catheter,
the “Long Arm,” and the Lightening Rod.
• Founder: University of Pennsylvania, American Philosophical Society,
Pennsylvania Hospital, Franklin and Marshall College, Junto (self
improvement society), the Philadelphia and United States Postal Systems,
and, oh yeah, America.
• Statesman: Member of the Continental Congresses, American
Representative to France – negotiator of the Alliance, Amity, and Commerce
with France (1778) and the Treaty of Paris (1782). From 1757-1775
represented Pennsylvania, Georgia, Massachusetts, and New Jersey in
England.
• Publisher: Poor Richard’s Almanac, the New England Currant, the
Pennsylvania Gazette, Colonial Currency, and numerous pamphlets.

4. Work
• “Early to bed, and early to rise; makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”
• Only person to have signed all four of the U.S.’s “founding” documents:
the Declaration of Independence (1776); the Treaty of
Alliance, Amity, and Commerce with France (1778); the Treaty of Peace
between England, France, and the United States (1782); and the
Constitution (1787).
• Retired at age 44 and focused on scientific pursuits.
• Never took out patents on his inventions as they were for the support of
society.
• Poor Richard’s Almanac was a defining piece of literature in the United
States – still referenced today.
• Owned a printing shop and general store
– Franklin ran the printing shop
– Wife Deborah owned and ran the general store
• Franchised his printing shops throughout the U.S. and West Indes.
• Traveled throughout the United States, Canada, West Indes, and Europe.

5. Home
• Lack of quote
• Wife: Deborah Reed Rogers
– Common Law Marriage 9/1/1730
– Wife dies after 44 years of marriage but having not seen
her husband in 10 years.
• Children: William; Francis; Sarah
– William – Estranged
– Francis – Died
– Sarah – good relations with 8 grandkids
• Simultaneous Reputations
– Loving supporting husband
– Womanizer

6. Community
• “Be civil all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none.”
• “No one cares what you know until they know that you care!”
• Appointed Post Master General of the Americas based on contacts in England –
started the Philly and U.S. postal service.
• Franklin was a member of the learned societies of many nations. Among these
were the Royal Society, which awarded him its prestigious Copley medal for his
work in electricity (1753); and the American Philosophical Society, of which he
was a founder. He received several honorary degrees, including a doctorate
from St. Andrews, Harvard, and Yale. Also was a member of the Masons.
• Started the University of Pennsylvania, American Philosophical
Society, Pennsylvania Hospital, Franklin and Marshall College. He also helped
establish: street lighting, paving, post offices, fire companies, insurance, the
Library Company, and Daylight Savings Time.
• Worked for women’s suffrage and abolition (despite earlier owning slaves).
• Maintained extensive range of associates and friends with whom he
communicates often.

7. Self
• “If you would have a faithful servant, and one that you like, serve yourself.
“
• “Observe all men, thyself most.”
• Vegetarian
• Believed in self improvement, however, also liked to “live life to the
fullest.”
• Loved to read
• Was a “deist”, also a Mason, and an espoused “free thinker”. Stopped
going to Church on Sundays so that he could read and study.
• Had very simple meals that he cooked himself so he’d have more time to
study and work on projects.
• Believed in observation and refinement.

8. Lessons
• Based his inventions on needs he saw in people around
him.
– Never took patents because believed they were for the benefit
of society.
• Cultivated relationships throughout his life and tried to
intertwine these networks to maximize effectiveness.
– Working the political factions during the debate about American
Independence
– Working the French court to gain a treaty of alliance
• Intertwined his domains
• Wrote about things he considered important in all spheres.
• His exploits took on larger than life proportions and
continue to influence far into the future.