Happy Birthday, Ben Franklin! Remind me, what did you do?

"Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man."

Born on January 17, 1706, Ben Franklin pretty much wrote the playbook on how to be a “Renaissance man.” The guy dipped his toes into everything—science, invention, public service, culture—you name it. If you’re the type who loves dabbling in different fields and wants to use your talents to help friends, neighbors, and society, look no further for inspiration.

Franklin’s whole life proves what curiosity, hustle, and a genuine desire to improve the world can achieve. Here’s a quick rundown of his most groundbreaking accomplishments:

Timeline of Benjamin Franklin’s Achievements

• 1717 :Swim Fins: Designed fins to improve swimming speed at age 11

• 1731: First Public Library: Founded the Library Company of Philadelphia.

• 1736: First Volunteer Fire Company: Established the Union Fire Company.

• 1741: First American Magazine: Printed General Magazine and Historical Chronicle.

• 1742: Franklin Stove: An efficient heating solution with less smoke.

• 1743: American Philosophical Society: Co-founded to promote intellectual exchange.

• 1749: Lightning Rod: A device to protect buildings from lightning strikes.

• 1751: First Hospital: Co-founded Pennsylvania Hospital.

• 1752: Lightning is Electricity: Proved through his famous kite experiment.

• 1752: Positive and Negative Charges: Coined terms to describe electrical phenomena.

• 1752: First Fire Insurance Company: Co-founded the Philadelphia Contributionship.

• 1753: Postmaster General: Reformed the postal system, laying the groundwork for today’s U.S. Postal Service.

• 1754: “Join, or Die”: Created one of America’s first political cartoons.

• 1750s: Odometer: A tool for measuring distances on postal routes.

• 1750s: Long Arm: An innovative tool for reaching high shelves.

• 1750s: Street Lighting: Improved lamp efficiency and design.

• 1760s: Cooling Effects of Evaporation: Studied evaporation, influencing refrigeration.

• 1760s: Mapping the Gulf Stream: Charted the Gulf Stream and studied weather systems.

• 1761: Glass Armonica: A musical instrument made of spinning glass bowls, inspiring compositions by Mozart and Beethoven.

• 1776-1787: Founding Father: Helped draft the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution.

• 1783: Treaty of Paris: Negotiated peace to end the Revolutionary War.

• 1784: Bifocals: Eyeglasses that combine lenses for near and far vision.

• Quotes:

  • “A penny saved is a penny earned.”

  • "Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn."

  • "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest."

  • "Energy and persistence conquer all things."

  • "Well done is better than well said."

  • "Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship."

  • "You may delay, but time will not."

  • "Honesty is the best policy."

  • "It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it."

  • "To err is human, to repent divine, to persist devilish."

  • "Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man."

Benny basically reminds us that life’s too big to confine ourselves to a single box. The guy was all about relentless curiosity—like, “Hey, what if we tried this? And while we’re at it, how can we make life better for everyone else?” Whether you’re an aspiring inventor, a weekend artist, an amateur scientist tinkering with experiments in your garage, or a passionate public servant, Franklin’s life shows that when you pair raw curiosity with a genuine desire to help people, you end up transforming not just yourself but the whole community around you.

4th and Arch in Philadelphia