How Benjamin Franklin Became a Revolutionary in Seven (Not-So-Easy) Steps
where his mother sold the soap made from a secret family recipe STOP cried his mother and father and brothers and sisters and cousins Benjamin stopped long enough to tell them how he spent all his pennies for his wonderful whistle Everyone laughed You paid four times more than it was worth they told him They kept on laughing but Benjamin cried with vexation His shiny whistle wasn't fun anymore 10
STEP 1 Benjamin Franklin learned early Do not give too much for the Whistle 11
PRINTER 12
I O U I T Anger is never without a Reason but seldom with a good One After just two years of school twelve year old Benjamin Franklin went looking for a trade He and his father roamed the town stopping here to visit a blacksmith there a cutler and down the lane a carpenter Benjamin marveled at the tradesmen's skills but he couldn't see himself working in those shops They dropped in on his older brother James a printer and newspaper publisher Now that caught Benjamin's fancy He loved words He was a voracious reader So he signed on as James's apprentice Benjamin promised to work for him for nine years and learn all about printing and publishing During the day he set frames of lead type and ran the 13
