1736 Chosen clerk of the General Assembly; forms the Union Fire
        Company of Philadelphia.

1737 Elected to the Assembly; appointed Deputy Postmaster-General;
        plans a city police.

1742 Invents the open, or “Franklin,” stove.

1743 Proposes a plan for an Academy, which is adopted 1749 and
        develops into the University of Pennsylvania.

1744 Establishes the American Philosophical Society.

1746 Publishes a pamphlet, “Plain Truth,” on the necessity for
        disciplined defense, and forms a military company; begins
        electrical experiments.

1748 Sells out his printing business; is appointed on the
        Commission of the Peace, chosen to the Common Council,
        and to the Assembly.

1749 Appointed a Commissioner to trade with the Indians.

1751 Aids in founding a hospital.

1752 Experiments with a kite and discovers that lightning is an
        electrical discharge.

1753 Awarded the Copley medal for this discovery, and elected a
        member of the Royal Society; receives the degree of M.A.
        from Yale and Harvard.  Appointed joint Postmaster-General.

1754 Appointed one of the Commissioners from Pennsylvania to the
        Colonial Congress at Albany; proposes a plan for the union
        of the colonies.

1755 Pledges his personal property in order that supplies may be
        raised for Braddock’s army; obtains a grant from the Assembly
        in aid of the Crown Point expedition; carries through a bill
        establishing a voluntary militia; is appointed Colonel,
        and takes the field.

1757 Introduces a bill in the Assembly for paving the streets of
        Philadelphia; publishes his famous “Way to Wealth”; goes to
        England to plead the cause of the Assembly against the
        Proprietaries; remains as agent for Pennsylvania; enjoys the
        friendship of the scientific and literary men of the kingdom.

  [Here the autobiography breaks off]

1760 Secures from the Privy Council, by a compromise, a decision
        obliging the Proprietary estates to contribute to the public
        revenue.

1762 Receives the degree of LL.D. from Oxford and Edinburgh; returns
        to America.

1763 Makes a five months’ tour of the northern colonies for the
        Purpose of inspecting the post-offices.

1764 Defeated by the Penn faction for reelection to the Assembly;
        sent to England as agent for Pennsylvania.

1765 Endeavors to prevent the passage of the Stamp Act.

1766 Examined before the House of Commons relative to the
        passage of the Stamp Act; appointed agent of Massachusetts,
        New Jersey, and Georgia; visits Gottingen University.