Franklin in London

17 January, 1706: Franklin is born in Boston MA

1716: Franklin begins work at his father’s candle shop

1718: Franklin starts as apprentice printer working for his brother James

1723: Franklin runs away to Philadelphia to become a journeyman printer

1724: Franklin travels to London to continue training as a printer

1728: Franklin opens his own print shop in Philadelphia

1730: Franklin enters common law marriage with Deborah Read

1732: Franklin launches Poor Richard’s Almanac

1736: Franklin organises the first fire department in Philadelphia

1737: Franklin is appointed Philadelphia Postmaster; Clerk of Pennsylvania Assembly

1741: Franklin designs fuel efficient Franklin Stove

1743: Franklin founds the American Philosophical Society

1748: Franklin sells his printing office and retires from business

October 1748: Franklin is selected as councilman in Philadelphia

13 November 1749: Franklin is appointed president of Philadelphia Academy, which becomes the University of Pennsylvania

June 1749: Franklin becomes Justice of the Peace for Philadelphia

Late 1740s: Franklin purchases enslaved people, Peter and Jemima, followed later by Othello, King and George

13 August 1751: Academy and Charity School opens

1751: Franklin is elected to Pennsylvania Assembly

1752: Franklin invents the lightning rod and performs kite and key experiment

10 August 1753: Franklin becomes Postmaster for the American colonies

1757: Franklin arrives in London as agent for Pennsylvania Assembly, along with two enslaved men, Peter and King

1759: Franklin receives honorary doctorate from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland

1761: Franklin develops his glass armonica

1762: Franklin leaves London for Philadelphia

1764: Franklin returns to London to represent colonial interests before the Crown

1765: Franklin opposes the Stamp Act leading to its repeal in 1766

1766: Franklin writes treatise Prospects of War in America

1768: Franklin experiments with canal depths and devises a new alphabet

1769: Elected President of the American Philosophical Society

1770: Writes spoof Craven St. Gazette on life at house

1771: Begins Autobiography

1772: Sends Hutchinson Letters

1773: Hutchinson Letters are made public

1774: Admits to releasing Hutchinson Letters and is subject to House of Commons trial

1775: Departs 36 Craven Street. Elected to Second Continental Congress. Proposes Articles of Confederation

1776: Signs Declaration of Independence and Sails to France as American Commissioner

1777: Settles in Passy, France- Feted throughout Paris.

1778: Negotiates and Signs Treaty of Alliance with France

1780: Further develops bifocals

1782: Negotiates treaty of Paris with Britain

1783: While in Paris watches the first hot air Balloon flight.

1785: Returns to Philadelphia

1786: Invents the Long arm, an instrument for taking books down from high shelves

1787: Elected President of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery-Also signs the constitution.

1789: Writes last public letter urging the abolition of slavery

1790: Dies on the 17th of April in Philadelphia aged 84