Benjamin Franklin

American polymath and statesman (1706–1790)

† 1790 · Declaration of Independence · Signer of the US Declaration of Independence (1776); cross-wiki notability: 144 language Wikipedias

License & source

Public domain · Wikidata

Life

Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston and died on April 17, 1790 in Philadelphia, aged 84. Recorded occupations: politician, diplomat, polymath and writer. Country of citizenship: British America and United States. Positions held include United States Ambassador to France, United States Ambassador to Sweden, United States Postmaster General, Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania and member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Fields of work: physics. Educated at Boston Latin School. Honours include Copley Medal, honorary doctor of the University of St Andrews and Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Member of Royal Society of London, American Philosophical Society, Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences and French Academy of Sciences.

At a glance

Born: January 17, 1706 · Boston
Died: April 17, 1790 · Philadelphia
Age at death: 84
Citizenship: British America, United States
Occupations: politician, diplomat, polymath, writer
Positions held: United States Ambassador to France, United States Ambassador to Sweden, United States Postmaster General, Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Education: Boston Latin School
Honours: Copley Medal, honorary doctor of the University of St Andrews, Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Wikipedia editions: 144 languages
Signature licence: Public domain

About this signature

This image of Benjamin Franklin's signature comes from Wikimedia Commons (Wikidata P109 signature file). Its licence is recorded as Public domain. It is linked to the person through Wikidata property P109 (signature), which ties a documented individual to a specific archived file. We show the file as published and do not redraw or retouch it. Public-domain signature; signer deceased since the founding era: no copyright or publicity-rights exposure.

Biographical facts: Wikidata Q34969 (CC0), retrieved 2026-10-13. Read more about Benjamin Franklin on Wikipedia.

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