Though best remembered for his services as a diplomat and statesman during the American Revolution, this "wisest American" was also a philosopher, publisher, and scientist. His collection of common-sense sayings in Poor Richard's Almanack won immediate and lasting success. His other contributions came as the colonies' first postmaster general, and as founder of the American Philosophical Society, which later became the University of Pennsylvania.

Full Name: Benjamin Franklin

Birth Date & Place: January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts

Schooling: After only two years of formal schooling, Franklin went to work in his father's candle and soap shop. From that time on, he educated himself by reading.

Lived: Boston, Massachusetts
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
London, England

Death: April 17, 1790, in his sleep Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1775: Member of the 2nd Continental Congress and helped draft the Declaration of Independence.

Ben Franklin was the colonies' first postmaster general.

Served as a diplomat and statesman during the American Revolution.

Franklin proved that lightning is a form of electricity with his famous, and very dangerous, kite experiment.

What is the Value of a Hundred-Dollar Bill? A hundred-dollar bill is worth one hundred dollars. This value can also be written as $100.00. It is equivalent to 100 $1.00, 20 $5.00, 10 $10.00, 5 $20.00, or 2 $50.00.

What is on the Back of the Bill? lndependence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Trivia: A $100 note has a life span of about nine years.

The 100 dollar note has been the largest denomination of currency in circulation since 1969.

Of the $539,890,223,079 in total currency in worldwide circulation, $364,724,397,100 is in the $100 denomination.

In the engraving of lndependence Hall on the back of the bill, there are 3 unnamed people pictured, and the clock is set at 4:l0. There are no records explaining why that particular time was chosen.

"I now take up a resolution to do for the future all that lies in my way for the service of my countrymen."

"A penny saved, is a penny earned.

http://www.moneyfactory.com

http://www.ustreas.gov/education/index.html

http://www.bos.frb.org/education/html/fedcard.htm

www.ushistory.org/franklin/facts/

www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0771900.html

http://sln.fi.edu/franklin/timeline/timeline.html