Shivam.J

**Benjamin Franklin** The Philadelphia Printer  Benjamin Franklin was born on Milk Street, in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 17, 1706. He was an amazing man. First he worked as an apprentice for James, his brother. Then he went to Philadelphia and then London. He returned to Philadelphia, set up the Pennsylvania Gazette, and wrote a book called //Poor Richard's Almanack//. He was married in 1930.  At age ten, Benjamin Franklin quit school. He worked for his father for two years making soap and candles. Then he looked at other jobs. He found out about being an apprentice but said no. His father convinced him to be an apprentice to his brother, James. James worked at a printing shop. Ben learned about printing but became bored. He wanted to do other things too. He practiced writing poems, swam, and most of all, read everything he could find. But he still didn't like bein g an apprentice. When he was denied the chance to write in the newspaper, he took the name of Mrs. Silence Dogood. Mrs. Dogood's entries were published and became popular in town. James was disappointed when he found out about Ben being Dogood. When James was jailed for flattery on the governor, Ben took the newspaper over and made a quote, "Without freedom of thought there can be no such thing as wisdom and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech." Then Franklin ran away without his brother's permission.  At age seventeen, Franklin ran away to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, seeking a new start in a new city. He first went on a boat to New York. When he didn't find a job there he walked 50 miles till he came to Philadelphia. When Franklin first arrived, he worked in several printer shops around town, but he was not satisfied by the outcomes. After a few months, while working in a printing house, Franklin was convinced by the Pennsylvania Governor Sir William Keith to go to London to learn how to establish another newspaper in Philadelphia. Franklin worked as a typer in a printer's shop in the Church of St Bartholomew-the-great in Smithfield, London. Then he returned to Philadelphia in 1726 with the help of Thomas Denham, a merchant who helped Franklin  as clerk, shopkeeper, and bookkeeper in his business. When Denham died, Franklin returned to printing. In 1728, Franklin had set up a printing house in partnership with Hugh Meredith. The next year they became the publishers of a newspaper called //The Pennsylvania Gazette//. The Gazette gave Franklin social and political news in a variety. It was one of the first and best newspapers in the colonies. This interesting newspaper earned Franklin popularity and fame. Though he later had more jobs, like an inventor and diplomat, he habitually signed all his letters with B. Franklin, Printer. Franklin began publishing Poor Richard's Almanack on December 28,1732. He published it for 25 years. The book contained many proverbs about industry and other subjects. A proverb is a simple and concrete saying that is popularly known and repeated. These books became very popular and made Franklin have economical success. It was so popular that it sold 10,000 copies in a year at 4 pence each! Interesting fact: When James Franklin died in 1735, Benjamin Franklin gave James' widow 500 copies for free to sell and make money. Benjamin Franklin did a lot of interesting things. //The New York Times// used to be the //Pennsylvania Gazette//! Almost everyone reads that! Franklin also made many quotes and did a lot of traveling. He started out as an apprentice for James, then ran away to Philadelphia, and off to London! When he came back he opened up a newspaper and a printing shop. Later he wrote //Poor Richard's Almanack//. He rose to greater heights after printing. Benjamin Franklin was a great man.
 * Shivam Jain**



[] [] [] [] Books: Benjamin Franklin: A Man With Many Jobs By Carol Greene American Lives: Benjamin Franklin By Rick Burke

**Samuel de Champlain** Samuel de Champlain was born in 1574 in Brouage, a port city in France. Little else about his childhood is known. He was probably a protestant but changed to Catholicism. Champlain's first expeditions were with his uncle, and they could go all the way to Spain and Latin America. This made Champlain love exploring. He served as a geographer for 2-3 years in King Henry IV and then quit to join Francois Grave Du Pont's crew to journey to Canada. This is what happened in their voyage: 1. They sailed up the Saguenay and St.Lawrence Rivers. 2. They explored the Gapse Peninsula. 3. They arrived in Montreal. Champlain became important in this voyage because he could predict the geography of the new area. That is why he was hired as a geographer to the trip to New Brunswick led by Pierre Du Gua de Monte one year later. One year later when Champlain was hired Monte set sail for Acadia (look at map). The crew landed in Nova Scotia's southeastern coast in May, 1603. From there, the crew explored the Bay of Fundy an the St. John River. Then they settled in for winter by building a fort on St. Croix island. **Summer, 1605** In the Summer, Champlain and the crew went down the coast of what is now the USA to Massachusetts. Though many explorers had already been here Champlain was the first to give a precise description of it. **1608** By 1608 was lieutenant for Monte. They set out for the St. Lawrence River. In June, 1608 they arrived and built a fort in the city of Quebec which became a major fur trading center. The next summer, he fought a major battle with the Iriqouis making a bitter relationship with them that would last for centuries. It is here that Champlain discovered Lake Champlain (it is named after him for this reason). 5 years later in 1613 Champlain sailed up the St. Lawrence and explored the Ottawa River. **1615** Samuel de Champlain had good relationships with the Huron Indians from the battle with the Iriqouis in 1608 and so he voyaged with them into inner Canada when the Iriqouis attacked and shot Champlain in the knee and as unable to walk. That winter he had to stay with the Hurons and made the one of the best descriptions ever of Native American life. (Click on pictures to go to website) **Later Years** Champlain went back to Quebec until July 19, 1629 when the British invaded the fort and Champlain surrendered. He went back home with his wife in France. In France, he wrote about his travels some until the British and the French signed the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, which returned Quebec to France. Champlain returned to Quebec to govern it but by then, his health wasn't good and he had to retire in 1633. Samuel de Champlain died on December 25, 1635. **Why Did Champlain Explore?** Champlain explored Canada because he was trying to find a northwest passage to the spice lands to make a shortcut but he could not find what was not there. __**Accomplishments**__ Champlain explored the Gapse Peninsula, Nova Scotia, the Bay of Fundy, the St. John River, and the Ottawa River. He made some of the best descriptions of Cape Cod and the life of Native Americans. He established a fort in the city of Quebec which became a major fur trading center. He formed a relationship with many Native Americans, some being good, like with the Hurons, and some bad, like the Iriquois. He found Lake Champlain and so it was named after him.Much, much, more.

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[][|http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/c/champlain.shtml]