Writer's choice Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Writer's choice - Term Paper Example (Independence, n.d.) His father, a candle and soap maker, wanted Benjamin to become a clergyman. Because his father did not have enough money, Benjamin only went to school for a year, apprenticed under his father, and eventually apprenticed for his half-brother, James, who owned a printing shop. Benjamin loved to write, but he never got a chance to publish his work. It was during this time that he wrote the fourteen famous letters from Silence Dogood, a secret character Franklin created for himself. The letters were sent to James’ printing house and published in The New-England Courant. When James found out Dogood was actually Benjamin, the siblings disagreed and the younger Franklin moved to Philadelphia. Benjamin consequently became the publisher for The Pennsylvania Gazette when he was about twenty-four years old (Hovde, 2002). He gained popularity for printing Poor Richard’s Almanac which contained weather forecasts, household tips, puzzles, etc. (Green & Stallybrass, 2006) There is a lot to tell about Benjamin Franklin since he dabbled in many industries when he was alive. Aside from being a renowned printer and writer, Benjamin Franklin was also a diplomat. He was the first United States Minister to France and served from 1778 – 1785. Scholar Leo Lemay referred to Franklin as â€Å"the most essential and successful American diplomat of all time.† (Green & Stallybrass, 2006) Not only was Benjamin Franklin adept in being a publisher and a diplomat. He was also a very brilliant inventor. During his lifetime, Franklin managed to create what is commonly known as bifocals, lightning rod, glass harmonica and Franklin stove. (Independence, n.d.) Three of these are still popular today. Bifocals are a type of eyeglasses which have upper and lower halves. The lower halves were usually used for reading or viewing things that are near, while the upper halves are used for looking at distant objects. As Franklin grew older,