Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was born the 10th son of the 17 children of a man who made soap and candles, one of the lowliest of the artisan crafts. He learned to read very early and had one year in grammar school and another under a private teacher, but his formal education ended at age 10.

Benjamin Franklin was a printer, publisher, author, inventor, scientist, and diplomat. One of the foremost of the Founding Fathers, he helped draft the Declaration of Independence and was one of its signers, he represented the United States in France during the American Revolution, and he was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention.

Benjamin Franklin made important scientific contributions regarding the nature of electricity. Among his findings was the fact that the positive and negative charges, or states of electrification of bodies, had to occur in exactly equal amounts—a crucial scientific principle known today as the law of conservation of charge.

Whether the United States keep Daylight Saving Time as first whimsically suggested by Benjamin Franklin is widely debated. Some say the longer daylight hours promote safety and help the economy. Others say the time change is bad for health and productivity. For more on the Daylight Saving debate, visit ProCon.org.