Benjamin Franklin FRS (Boston, MA , January 17, 1706 - Philadelphia, PA, April 17, 1790) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and in many ways was "the First American" A renowned polymath. Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. As a scientist, he was a major figure in the American Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. As an inventor, he is known for the lightning rod, bifocals, and the Franklin stove, among other inventions.