Sixth Grade
Worksheets
Ben Franklin: Founding Father and Inventor
Who were the Founding Fathers of the United States? They were men who led the revolution of the British colonies against Britain. They were men who loved their country. They wanted their country to be free. To accomplish their goal, they were willing to lead the way and die if they had to.
Ben Franklin was one of those men. He wasn't just a leader of men; he was a leader in thought. Franklin thought about government, but he also thought about science and inventions.
Ben was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 17, 1706. He was the fifteenth of his father's seventeen children. His father was a candle and soap maker. There was not much money to send Ben to school, so he could only attend for two years. Young Ben did not let that stop him. He began reading a great many books to learn as much as he could.
When he was twelve, Ben was apprenticed to his older brother, James, as a printer. Later, James started his own newspaper, and Ben wanted to write for it. James refused. But Ben found a way. At the age of sixteen, Ben submitted letters using a pen name, Mrs. Silence Dogood. The letters were very popular.
