| DATE | BRIEF DESCRIPTION |
| 1706 | Born January 17 in Boston, Massachusetts. |
| 1721 | Begins to compose articles for his brother's newspaper. |
| 1723 | Settles in Philadelphia as a printer. |
| 1724-1726 | Completes his printing training in London. |
| 1729 | Buys the Pennsylvania Gazette and transforms it into a popular informative newspaper. |
| 1730 | Marries Deborah Read. |
| 1731 | Founds America's first public library in Philadelphia. |
| 1744-1749 | Invents the Franklin stove and makes some important scientific discoveries. |
| 1750 | Elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly. |
| 1757-1762 | Serves in England as the chief representative of the American colonies. |
| 1764-1774 | Again dispatched to England and attempts to reconcile the differences between the British government and the colonies. |
| 1775 | Finally acknowledges the inevitability of war and sails back to America. The American War of Independence has already begun upon his arrival on May 5. |
| 1776 | Member of the committee chosen to draft the Declaration of Independence. |
| 1778 | Negotiates treaty of alliance with France where he is sent as a representative of the United States. |
| 1783 | Peace made with Great Britain. The Treaty of Paris is signed at Versailles on September 3. |
| 1787 | Returns to Philadelphia and is elected as a delegate to the convention that draws up the US Constitution. |
| 1790 | Dies April 17 at his Philadelphia home. |
