Benjamin Franklin

American polymath and statesman (1706–1790).

Quick Facts

Died: 1790-04-17
Occupation: politician · publisher · printer · political theorist · inventor · political activist · statesperson · diplomat · dilettante · polymath · chess player · designer · musician · political philosopher · autobiographer · librarian · journalist · economist · physicist · editor · writer · philosopher · naturalist · book printer
Citizenship: British America · United States
Birthplace: Boston, Province of Massachusetts Bay
Membership: Royal Society of London · since 29 May 1756
Affiliation: American Philosophical Society
Membership: Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences · since 1789
Affiliation: French Academy of Sciences
Affiliation: American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Affiliation: Pennsylvania Abolition Society
Affiliation: Société d'agriculture de Paris
Membership: Accademia Nazionale delle Scienze detta dei XL · since 1786
Membership: Academy of Sciences of Turin · since 25 July 1783
Affiliation: Freemasonry
Affiliation: Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Lower Saxony
Membership: Royal Academy of History · since 9 July 1784

Benjamin Franklin is the child of Josiah Franklin and Abiah Folger.

Date / result	Award / category
1753 Received	Copley Medal
— Received	honorary doctor of the University of St Andrews
1781 Received	Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Benjamin Franklin attended Boston Latin School until 1716.

Wikidata · Q34969 ↗
Biographical data from Wikidata (CC0). Book icons link to supporting references where available; unlinked icons indicate a missing reference.
Portrait source & license ↗

Facts retrieved 10 Nov 2026, 12:46 UTC.