The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin: A Memoir

by Benjamin Franklin “The First American”

Founding Fathers of America Book Series

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a record of his own life written by Benjamin Franklin from 1771 to 1790. It is considered an important work because it offers a glimpse into the life of one of America's Founding Fathers. The Autobiography is a major source for exploring Franklin's ideas on wealth and virtue, as well as his motivations in pursuing a long life of public service.

It also presents Americans today with a hero from the past who embodies the ideals of self-reliance, hard work, and public service. And remarkable history, such as:

• His own son fought for the British. Benjamin Franklin's only surviving son, William Franklin, was the last Royal Governor of New Jersey and a staunch Loyalist. The conflict divided the family, with Benjamin supporting the Patriot cause and William remaining loyal to the King. The two never reconciled, and Benjamin left his son very little in his will.
• He was almost killed by his own electricity experiment. While it is widely known that Franklin conducted the famous kite experiment, what is less known is that he nearly electrocuted himself while performing another electrical demonstration.
• He was a champion swimmer who considered becoming a swimming teacher. Franklin was an expert swimmer from a young age and even invented his own wooden hand paddles to help him swim faster. He is a posthumous honorary inductee to the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
• He authored letters under a female pseudonym. As a 16-year-old apprentice in his brother's print shop, Franklin secretly submitted witty essays to the newspaper using the persona of a middle-aged widow named "Silence Dogood". Her letters were hugely popular, and Franklin received multiple marriage proposals.
• He was a self-taught inventor who never patented his creations. Despite only having two years of formal schooling, Franklin was a brilliant and prolific inventor. He developed inventions like the Franklin stove, bifocal glasses, and the glass armonica but never patented them, believing they should be freely available for the public good.
• He organized the first volunteer fire company. Seeing a need for better fire safety in Philadelphia, Franklin founded the Union Fire Company in 1736. This was one of the first volunteer firefighting companies in America and established the idea that an "ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". 
• He was a French fashion icon. During his time in France as a diplomat, Franklin capitalized on his rustic American image by wearing a simple fur hat. The look became a sensation, and Parisian society, including fashionable women, adopted styles inspired by his iconic headwear.
• He founded America's first hospital. Franklin helped to establish the Pennsylvania Hospital in 1751, the first public hospital in the American colonies, which treated the "sick-poor and insane". 
• He left an unusual gift to Boston and Philadelphia in his will. Upon his death in 1790, Franklin bequeathed money to his hometown of Boston and his adopted city of Philadelphia. The funds were to be held in trust for 200 years to provide loans to tradesmen, and the cities would eventually use the proceeds for public works.
• He helped abolish slavery in Pennsylvania. Though he once owned slaves, Franklin became a fervent abolitionist in his later years. He served as president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery and actively petitioned the U.S. Congress to end the slave trade.

Although the The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin had a torturous publication history after Franklin's death—this work has become one of the most famous and influential examples of autobiography ever written.

Summary:

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is the traditional name for the unfinished record of his own life written by Benjamin Franklin from 1771 to 1790; however, Franklin appears to have called the work his Memoirs.

About the Author: Benjamin Franklin, Founding Father of the United States

Benjamin Franklin was one of 17 children, Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. He ended his formal education at the age of 10 and began working as an apprentice at a newspaper. Running away to Philadelphia at 17, he worked for a printer, later opening his own print shop. Franklin was a man of many talents and interests.

As a writer, he published a colonial newspaper and the well-known Poor Richard's Almanack, which contains his famous maxims. He authored many political and economic works, such as The Way To Wealth and Journal of the Negotiations for Peace. He is responsible for many inventions, including the Franklin stove and bifocal eyeglasses. He conducted scientific experiments, proving in one of his most famous ones that lightning and electricity were the same.

As a politically active citizen, he helped draft the Declaration of Independence and lobbied for the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. He also served as ambassador to France. He died in April of 1790 at the age of 84.