Benjamin Franklin

Early life and Childhood

          When Ben was 10 (1716), he was forced to work for his father (no pay) at his father’s candle and soap making shop. He really hated that job, so in 1718, he decided to quit and go to be an apprenticed at his brother’s printing shop. He finds it fun and at age 16, he publishes his first humorous newspaper, under a fake ladies name. He used that name so that his brother would publish it. If Ben’s brother ever found out that his sibling made this funny newspaper, he would not publish it. In 1723 and 1724, Ben ran away to Philadelphia, then to London, and then finds a printing job there. Then, Ben gets homesick and leaves London, to sail to Philadelphia.