“The Constitution of the United States does not guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to face it alone. –Benjamin Franklin. A man worthy of honorable mention, Benjamin Franklin was one of the most intelligent people living in the United States of America. From his role in drafting the Declaration of Independence to helping draft the United States Constitution, Ben has many accomplishments under his belt. Being intelligent, it has many achievements, including some facts that many people don't know. Born in Boston on January 17, 1706, Ben had 16 siblings (10 who were full siblings). He attended Boston Latin School and had a very successful education there. Despite his good performance, Ben was sent to work with his father making candles at the age of 10. When Ben turned 12 he became apprenticed to his brother James, who owned a printing press. Their father did this because he was afraid that Ben would go to sea like one of the other brothers. Ben saw this as an excellent opportunity and did well, despite his brother's harsh treatment. Although Ben was an excellent writer, his brother never published any of his works. To get around this problem, Ben took on the persona of “Mrs. Be quiet, do good." "His" 14 witty and imaginative letters were published in Ben's newspaper, The New England Courant. When James finds out what his brother was doing, he becomes very angry with Ben. Following this problem, Ben promptly abandoned his apprenticeship and fled to New York and eventually settled in Philadelphia, where he lived for the rest of his life. To further his education in the printing business, Ben lodged at the home of John Read in 1723. It was here that he met and courted Read's daughter D......middle of paper......with England in 1783. Along with this many other treaties and alliances were signed. After a decade in France, Ben returned to America in 1785. He was elected to represent Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Convention, which drafted and ratified the new United States Constitution. With this he also elected George Washington as the country's first president, who was inaugurated in April 1789. Ben Franklin helped our country in many ways. From working on the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution to making small inventions, he was always trying to find a way to help America. His patriotism and advocacy helped America become what it is today. If it were not for his extraordinary orator, the Treaty of Paris might never have been signed, meaning we might never have become our own country. We owe this man thanks for part of the creation of our country.