Ben Franklin, An Extraordinary Man from Humble Beginnings

Colonial Settlement
Written By Tom Hand

Ben Franklin was one of the most extraordinary men America has ever produced. Born in Boston on January 17, 1706, to a soap and candle maker who emigrated to America in 1683, Franklin had only two years of formal schooling before going to work for his father. After a few years, he went to work as an apprentice printer for his older brother James who owned a newspaper called The New-England Courant. That job would spark an interest that led to a prosperous career in printing.

Tom Hand, creator and publisher of Americana Corner, explores the events that shaped young Ben Franklin’s life, and why it still matters today.

Images courtesy of Library of Congress, The Library Company of Philadelphia, National Portrait Gallery - Smithsonian Institution, The New York Public Library, Massachusetts Historical Society, Harvard Art Museums, Wikipedia.

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