Born: January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts
Education: Honarary degrees from Harvard, Yale, University of St. Andrews, University of Oxford, University of Edinburgh
Interesting Facts:
- Founding Father: One of five men who helped draft the Declaration of Independence
- Public Hospitals: Franklin was one of the founders of the Pennsylvania Hospital in 1751, which was the first public hospital in the country. Before this, there was no help for public health system for the poor. The public hospital system that Americans know today is modeled after the Pennsylvania Hospital.
- Public Library: In the early 18th century, books were mainly available to wealthy people, whom had their own private libraries. In 1751, Franklin developed the concept of a subscription library, where members paid a fee and shared books amongst themselves. This system served as the model for the public library system.
Died: April 17, 1790 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania