[Ending, as it does, with the year 1757, the autobiography leaves
important facts un-recorded. It has seemed advisable, therefore, to
detail the chief events in Franklin's life, from the beginning, in
the following list:
1706 - He is born, in Boston, and baptized in the Old South Church.
1714 - At the age of eight, enters the Grammar School.
1716 - Becomes his father's assistant in the tallow-chandlery business.
1718 - Apprenticed to his brother James, printer.
1721 - Writes ballads and peddles them, in printed form, in the
streets; contributes, anonymously, to the "New England
Courant," and temporarily edits that paper; becomes a
free-thinker, and a vegetarian.
1723 - Breaks his indenture and removes to Philadelphia; obtaining
employment in Keimer's printing-office; abandons vegetarianism.
1724 - Is persuaded by Governor Keith to establish himself independently,
and goes to London to buy type; works at his trade there, and
publishes "Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity,
Pleasure and Pain."
1726 - Returns to Philadelphia; after serving as clerk in a dry goods
store, becomes manager of Keimer's printing-house.
1727 - Founds the Junto, or "Leathern Apron" Club.
1728 - With Hugh Meredith, opens a printing-office.
1729 - Becomes proprietor and editor of the "Pennsylvania Gazette";
prints, anonymously, "Nature and Necessity of a Paper Currency";
opens a stationer's shop.
1730 - Marries Rebecca Read.
1731 - Founds the Philadelphia Library.
1732 - Publishes the first number of "Poor Richard's Almanac" under
the pseudonym of "Richard Saunders." The Almanac, which
continued for twenty-five years to contain his witty,
worldly-wise sayings, played a very large part in bringing
together and molding the American character which was at
that time made up of so many diverse and scattered types.
1738 - Begins to study French, Italian, Spanish, and Latin.
1736 - Chosen clerk of the General Assembly; forms the Union Fire
Company of Philadelphia.
1737 - Elected to the Assembly; appointed Deputy Postmaster-General;
plans a city police.
1742 - Invents the open, or "Franklin," stove.
1743 - Proposes a plan for an Academy, which is adopted 1749 and
develops into the University of Pennsylvania.
1744 - Establishes the American Philosophical Society.
1746 - Publishes a pamphlet, "Plain Truth," on the necessity for
disciplined defense, and forms a military company; begins
electrical experiments.
1748 - Sells out his printing business; is appointed on the
Commission of the Peace, chosen to the Common Council,
and to the Assembly.
1749 - Appointed a Commissioner to trade with the Indians.
1751 - Aids in founding a hospital.
1752 - Experiments with a kite and discovers that lightning is an
electrical discharge.
1753 - Awarded the Copley medal for this discovery, and elected a
member of the Royal Society; receives the degree of M.A.
from Yale and Harvard. Appointed joint Postmaster-General.
1754 - Appointed one of the Commissioners from Pennsylvania to the
Colonial Congress at Albany; proposes a plan for the union
of the colonies.
1755 - Pledges his personal property in order that supplies may be
raised for Braddock's army; obtains a grant from the Assembly
in aid of the Crown Point expedition; carries through a bill
establishing a voluntary militia; is appointed Colonel,
and takes the field.
1757 - Introduces a bill in the Assembly for paving the streets of
Philadelphia; publishes his famous "Way to Wealth"; goes to
England to plead the cause of the Assembly against the
Proprietaries; remains as agent for Pennsylvania; enjoys the
friendship of the scientific and literary men of the kingdom.
1760 - Secures from the Privy Council, by a compromise, a decision
obliging the Proprietary estates to contribute to the public
revenue.
1762 - Receives the degree of LL.D. from Oxford and Edinburgh; returns
to America.
1763 - Makes a five months' tour of the northern colonies for the
Purpose of inspecting the post-offices.
1764 - Defeated by the Penn faction for reelection to the Assembly;
sent to England as agent for Pennsylvania.
1765 - Endeavors to prevent the passage of the Stamp Act.
1766 - Examined before the House of Commons relative to the
passage of the Stamp Act; appointed agent of Massachusetts,
New Jersey, and Georgia; visits Gottingen University.
1767 - Travels in France and is presented at court.
1769 - Procures a telescope for Harvard College.
1772 - Elected Associe Etranger of the French Academy.
1774 - Dismissed from the office of Postmaster-General; influences
Thomas Paine to emigrate to America.
1775 - Returns to America; chosen a delegate to the Second Continental
Congress; placed on the committee of secret correspondence;
appointed one of the commissioners to secure the cooperation
of Canada.
1776 - Placed on the committee to draft a Declaration of Independence;
chosen president of the Constitutional Committee of Pennsylvania;
sent to France as agent of the colonies.
1778 - Concludes treaties of defensive alliance, and of amity and
commerce; is received at court.
1779 - Appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to France.
1780 - Appoints Paul Jones commander of the "Alliance."
1782 - Signs the preliminary articles of peace.
1783 - Signs the definite treaty of peace.
1785 - Returns to America; is chosen President of Pennsylvania;
reelected 1786.
1787 - Reelected President; sent as delegate to the convention for
framing a Federal Constitution.
1788 - Retires from public life.
1790 - April 17, dies. His grave is in the churchyard at Fifth and
Arch streets, Philadelphia. Editor.
Chief Events in Franklin's Life