Imagine walking down a cobblestone street in colonial America.

You see a man with a round glasses and a kind face walking briskly down the street.

He carries a basket full of books, letters, and rolled up papers.

He smiles and hums to himself as he walks.

People stop and wave. Some tip their hats and respect.

They know who he is. He's an inventor, a printer,

a writer, a scientist, and a leader. His name is Benjamin Franklin, and he helped build the United

States from the ground up, not with bricks, but with ideas, inventions, and hard work.

Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts.

He was the 15th of 17 children in a very big family.

His father, Josiah Franklin, made candles and soap to support the household.

Money was tight and everyone had to help out. Ben was curious

and clever even as a young boy. He asked lots of questions and loved to learn new things.

He especially loved to read. While other children played, Ben could often be found with

his nose in a book. Ben went to school for only two years because his family

couldn't afford to keep him there. Still, he didn't stop learning. He read everything he could

get his hands on, books about science, history, and even how to write better. He taught himself

new words, practiced his writing, and stayed up late reading by candlelight. He also helped his father make candles, dipping wicks into hot wax over and over again.

Even doing chores, Ben kept thinking, imagining and dreaming about what he could do someday.

When he was 12, Ben became an apprentice in his older brother's printing shop.

There he learned how to set type, run the

printing press, and create newspapers. He also started writing secretly. Using a fake name,

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