March 12, 2023

The
Pennsylvania GAZETTE
Benjamin Franklin: The $100 Man

Running away to Philadelphia

at the age of 17, Ben Franklin "There is no gains without pains."
would become one of the most
prolific figures in United States
history. Known as a "Founding
Father," Franklin is a shining
example of what the city of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania had
to offer. Immigrants from across
Europe flocked to the city in the
late 1600s to farm the land and
earn a living by opening shops
that specialized in being black-
smiths, bakers, cabinetmakers,
and butchers. By the beginning of
the 1700s, Philadelphia became
one of the largest cities in the
There is no debate as to
English colonies. At this time,
why Benjamin Franklin is
Franklin established the
the face of the $100 bill in
newspaper The Pennsylvania
the United States. His
Gazette at the age of 23, during a
accomplishments include:
time when freedom of press was
creation of the first pair of
becoming a frustrating issue
bifocals, America's first
between the colonies and
established library, the
England.
knowledge of electricity(his
kite and key experiment),
and the "Franklin stove" -
an early model of a
fireplace. Poor Richard
(Ben Franklin's alias as
the author for the yearly
publication of Poor
Richard's Almanac) will be
pleasantly surprised upon
discovering this newfound
wealth!

[Ben Franklin's signature(above) can also be found on

the Declaration of Independence.]

Alex Sirna 2023