| Years |
Age |
Events |
| 1706 |
0 |
Born in Boston, Massachusetts |
| 1718-1723 |
12 |
Apprenticed as a printer to his brother James Franklin |
| 1723 |
17 |
Moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| 1724-1726 |
18 |
Worked in London, England, as a journeyman printer |
| 1727 |
21 |
Founded the Junto, a debating club, in Philadelphia |
| 1729 |
23 |
Purchased the Pennsylvania Gazette |
| 1730 |
24 |
Began common-law marriage with Deborah Read Rogers |
| 1731 |
25 |
Established the Library Company of Philadelphia; Son William Franklin probably born |
| 1732-1758 |
26 |
Published Poor Richard’s Almanack |
| 1732 |
26 |
Son Francis Folger Franklin born (died 1736) |
| 1736-1751 |
30 |
Clerk, Pennsylvania Assembly |
| 1737 |
31 |
Appointed postmaster of Philadelphia |
| 1740 |
34 |
Invented the Franklin stove |
| 1743 |
37 |
Proposed formation of the American Philosophical Society |
| 1743 |
37 |
Daughter Sarah “Sally” Franklin Bache born (died 1808) |
| 1746-1751 |
40 |
Conducted electrical experiments, leading to the publication of “Experiments and Observations on Electricity” in 1751 |
| 1748 |
42 |
Retired from the printing business |
| 1751 |
45 |
Helped found the Academy for Education of Youth (now University of Pennsylvania) and Philadelphia City Hospital; Elected to Pennsylvania Assembly (served until 1764) |
| 1752 |
46 |
Conducted the kite experiment, confirming that lightning is electricity |
| 1753 |
47 |
Appointed joint deputy postmaster general of North America |
| 1754 |
48 |
Represented Pennsylvania at the Albany Congress |
| 1757-1762 |
51 |
In London, England, as agent of the Pennsylvania Assembly |
| 1760 |
54 |
William Temple Franklin (Benjamin’s grandson) probably born |
| 1764-1775 |
58 |
In London, England, as agent for Pennsylvania and other colonies |
| 1771 |
65 |
Began writing his autobiography |
| 1774 |
68 |
Wife Deborah Franklin died |
| 1775 |
69 |
Elected delegate to the Second Continental Congress |
| 1776 |
70 |
Served on Continental Congress committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence |
| 1776 |
70 |
Went to France as American commissioner; arrived in December |
| 1778 |
72 |
Signed treaties with France |
| 1778 |
72 |
Appointed United States minister plenipotentiary in France |
| 1781 |
75 |
Asked Congress to allow him to come home |
| 1781 |
75 |
Appointed by Congress to negotiate peace with Great Britain |
| 1783 |
77 |
Signed Treaty of Paris with Great Britain, ending the revolutionary war and recognizing American independence |
| 1785 |
79 |
Left France |
| 1785 |
79 |
Arrived in Philadelphia |
| 1785 |
79 |
Elected president, Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania (served until 1788) |
| 1787 |
81 |
Represented Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Convention |
| 1790 |
84 |
Signed antislavery petition to Congress as president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery |
| 1790 |
84 |
Died in Philadelphia and interred in Christ Church Burial Ground |
