Few faces are as recognizable as the one staring out from the $100 bill, yet most of us know only a sliver of the story behind it. That face belongs to Benjamin Franklin, a man who was a printer, a scientist, a diplomat, and a Founding Father — but never a president. This piece clears up the common mix-ups, traces his timeline from Boston to the Constitutional Convention, and separates the inventions he actually created from the ones often misattributed to him. By the end, you’ll have a sharper picture of why this particular founder—not a president—earned his spot on the most circulated U.S. banknote.
Key facts at a glance
- Born: January 17, 1706, Boston, Massachusetts (then a British colony) Franklin Institute
- Died: April 17, 1790, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Britannica
- Occupation: Printer, scientist, diplomat, inventor U.S. Department of State
- Role: Founding Father, signer of the Declaration of Independence Library of Congress
- Franklin was never president — a common mix-up given his towering legacy. Library of Congress
- He served as president of Pennsylvania’s executive council (1785–1788), not of the United States. Library of Congress
- Franklin appears on the $100 bill for his role as a founding father and printer. Library of Congress
- He is not on any other U.S. currency denomination. (Library of Congress)
Lifespan: 1706–1790 · Key fields: Science, diplomacy, printing · Claim to fame: Kite experiment, bifocals, lightning rod
Was he ever president? The short answer
No — Benjamin Franklin was never President of the United States. He was a Founding Father, a diplomat, and a statesman, but the presidency was an office he never held. The Governor of Pennsylvania in 1785 was not the U.S. presidency; he was president of Pennsylvania’s Supreme Executive Council, a state-level role that often surprises people today (Library of Congress).
The confusion is understandable. Franklin’s name appears everywhere, his face is on the $100 bill, and he signed two of the nation’s most important documents. But his political peak was in diplomacy — not in the executive mansion. He was the senior American diplomat in France during the Revolutionary War, securing the alliance that helped win independence (Library of Congress).
The implication: His influence came through persuasion and negotiation, not the executive authority of a president.
Is Benjamin Franklin a US President?
No — as noted above, he never held that office. This FAQ section clarifies the common misunderstanding.
Timeline: From Boston printer to the Constitutional Convention
Franklin’s life spans nearly the entire 18th century, and his career is a series of reinventions. He started as an apprentice printer in Boston, moved to Philadelphia, and by his 40s was wealthy enough to retire from printing and turn to science and politics.
He served as clerk of the Pennsylvania Assembly from 1736 to 1751, then as a member of the Assembly from 1751 to 1764 (Franklin Institute). During the 1750s, he also began his electrical experiments, and by 1757 he was in London as a colonial agent for Pennsylvania.
In 1775, he returned to Philadelphia and was elected a delegate to the Second Continental Congress (Library of Congress). A year later, he helped draft and signed the Declaration of Independence. Then came his most critical mission: sailing to France in 1776 as U.S. minister, where he secured the Treaty of Alliance and Treaty of Amity and Commerce in 1778 (Library of Congress).
He returned to America in 1785, was chosen president of Pennsylvania, and then served as a delegate to the Federal Constitutional Convention in 1787 — the last major act of his public life (Library of Congress). He died on April 17, 1790, in Philadelphia.
The pattern here is consistent: Franklin’s power came from persuasion and institution-building, not from holding the highest office. He was the only Founding Father to sign all four key documents of the founding era (Declaration of Independence, Treaty of Alliance, Treaty of Paris, and the Constitution). That record explains his presence on the $100 bill better than any presidential title.
The $100 bill: Why him, and only him?
Franklin’s face has been on the $100 bill since 1914, when the Federal Reserve first issued large denomination notes. The choice wasn’t random; it reflected his status as the only non-president on U.S. paper currency who was a leading founder and printer. He is not on any other current U.S. bill, though he did appear on the old half-dollar coin in the 20th century.
The reason for the $100 bill is often summarized as his role as a founding father and printer. But there’s a deeper thread: Franklin was the founder who most embodied the values of thrift, industry, and commerce that the $100 bill symbolizes. He coined phrases like “a penny saved is a penny earned,” and he built the first public library, which made knowledge accessible to working people (Britannica).
The choice also makes practical sense. The $100 bill is the most counterfeited U.S. note, and Franklin’s portrait—with its fine lines and detail—was chosen partly for security reasons, though the Treasury has never officially confirmed that logic. What is certain is that he is the only Founding Father on a current U.S. bill who was never president.
The implication: His selection reflects a deliberate choice to honor a figure who shaped the nation’s commercial and intellectual foundations, not just its political leadership.
Why is Ben Franklin on the $100 bill?
As detailed above, his portrait has been there since 1914 due to his status as a founder and printer, and his image’s fine lines also help deter counterfeiting.
Franklin’s inventions and discoveries
Franklin’s scientific legacy is often reduced to two items—the kite and the lightning rod—but his creative output was far broader. He did not invent electricity, but his experiments helped pioneer the understanding of electricity and its practical applications (Britannica).
Among his best-known inventions:
- Lightning rod (1753) — a grounded metal rod that protects buildings from lightning strikes (BBC History).
- Bifocal spectacles (1784) — lenses with two focal lengths, allowing one pair for distance and reading (Library of Congress).
- Franklin stove — a more efficient wood-burning stove that heated rooms with less smoke and less fuel.
- Glass armonica — a musical instrument made of glass bowls, popular in the 18th century.
- Swim fins — early hand paddles he designed as a young man.
- Long-reach device — a mechanical arm for reaching books on high shelves.
- Library chair — a chair that converts into a stepladder.
- Catheter — a flexible tube for medical use, improved by Franklin for his brother.
- Odometer — used to measure carriage distance, an invention he refined.
Franklin also mapped the Gulf Stream and charted ocean currents during his transatlantic voyages, contributing to maritime navigation. His scientific work earned him international fame; he was elected to the Royal Society in 1756 and the French Academy of Sciences in 1772.
His method was empirical and practical. He didn’t theorize in isolation — he tested, tinkered, and published. That approach, combined with his printing business, made him the most widely known American of his era. The inventions matter not just for their utility but for what they reveal: a mind that saw problems as puzzles to be solved, whether in politics or in physics.
What is Benjamin Franklin most famous for?
He is most famous for his role as a Founding Father, his kite experiment demonstrating the electrical nature of lightning, and his practical inventions such as the lightning rod and bifocals.
What 10 things did Benjamin Franklin invent?
His ten notable inventions include the lightning rod, bifocal spectacles, Franklin stove, glass armonica, swim fins, long-reach device, library chair, catheter, odometer, and an improved street lamp. The exact set sometimes varies, but the list above covers his most significant contributions.
Franklin’s mind: The paradox of a polymath
Franklin was, at once, a capitalist and a civic reformer, a scientist and a diplomat, a writer and a politician. He institutionalized the postal service, founded a university (the University of Pennsylvania), and created the first subscription library. Yet he also owned enslaved people for a time, a contradiction that historians openly acknowledge (Library of Congress).
His views on race evolved later in life; he became an abolitionist in his final years and petitioned Congress to end slavery in 1790. This complexity — the pragmatist who could also be a moral reformer — makes him a more interesting figure than any single label can capture.
The paradox extends to his public image. He was a celebrity diplomat who charmed Parisian society while meticulously negotiating treaties. He was a self-made man who preached frugality yet lived comfortably. He was a patriot who spent most of the Revolutionary War in France, not on the battlefield. All of that nuance is lost in the simplified $100 bill portrait, but it’s essential to understanding his legacy.
What was Benjamin Franklin’s cause of death?
Franklin died on April 17, 1790, in Philadelphia at age 84. The cause of death was pleurisy, an inflammation of the lungs, a common respiratory illness at the time. His death was widely mourned, and he received a grand funeral.
What Franklin is NOT: clearing the record
Despite his towering reputation, Franklin’s record has some gaps that people often fill with fiction:
- He was not president. He held state-level and diplomatic roles but never the nation’s highest office.
- He did not invent electricity. He studied it, named the positive/negative charge, and proposed the lightning rod’s design.
- He did not write the Declaration of Independence alone. He was on the drafting committee with Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston — and he made only minor edits.
- He was not a general. He never commanded troops; his military service was limited to organizing militias during the French and Indian War.
These misconceptions persist because Franklin’s life is so broad that people project onto him whatever role fits their narrative. The truth, documented by the Franklin Institute and Library of Congress, is more impressive than the myth: he was a founder who helped shape the nation’s structure, then spent his final years working to abolish slavery. That’s a legacy that doesn’t need exaggeration.
en.wikipedia.org, benjamin-franklin-history.org, britannica.com, worldhistory.org, nypost.com, electronics.alibaba.com, abcnews.com
Frequently asked questions
Was Benjamin Franklin ever president?
No. He was a Founding Father, diplomat, and statesman, but never President of the United States. He did serve as president of Pennsylvania’s Supreme Executive Council (1785–1788), a state-level position, which often causes confusion.
Why is Franklin on the $100 bill?
Franklin appears on the $100 bill because of his role as a founding father and printer. He is the only non-president on current U.S. paper currency, a distinction reflecting his broad influence on the nation’s early identity.
Did Benjamin Franklin invent the lightning rod?
Yes. Franklin designed the lightning rod around 1753, based on his experiments showing that electricity could be drawn down from storm clouds. His design is the principle still used today on tall buildings and towers.
What are Franklin’s top 10 inventions?
His notable inventions include the lightning rod, bifocal spectacles, the Franklin stove, the glass armonica, swim fins, a long-reach device, a library chair, a catheter, and an odometer for measuring carriage distance. He also improved postal delivery systems and street lighting in Philadelphia.
Did Franklin sign the Declaration of Independence?
Yes. He was one of the five members on the drafting committee and signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. He also signed the Treaty of Alliance (1778), the Treaty of Paris (1783), and the U.S. Constitution (1787).
How did Benjamin Franklin die?
Franklin died on April 17, 1790, in Philadelphia at age 84. The cause of death was pleurisy, an inflammation of the lungs, which was a common respiratory illness at the time. His death was widely mourned, and he received a grand funeral.
Was Franklin the oldest Founding Father?
Yes. At 70 when he signed the Declaration of Independence, Franklin was the oldest delegate to sign. He was 81 when he signed the Constitution, making him the oldest signer of that document as well.
Did Franklin own slaves?
Yes, Franklin owned enslaved people for a period in his life, which historians acknowledge as a contradiction in his record. In his final years, he became an abolitionist and petitioned Congress to end slavery in 1790 — the year of his death.
Franklin’s life was marked by genuine achievement — in science, diplomacy, and institution-building — but also by human contradictions. The record, clear and honest, shows a founder who was more than a face on a bill: he was a man who kept reinventing himself until the very end.
Harry Thompson is Senior Reporter at PublicReport, covering breaking UK news and political stories across the country.