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Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706-April 17, 1790) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A renowned polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. As a scientist, he was a major figure in the American Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. As an inventor, he is known for the lightning rod, bifocals, and the Franklin stove, among other inventions. He facilitated many civic organizations, including Philadelphia ’ s fire department and a university.
In 1758, the year he ceased writing for the Almanack, he printed Father Abraham ’ s Sermon, also known as The Way to Wealth. Franklin ’ s autobiography, begun in 1771 but published after his death, has become one of the classics of the genre.