Benjamin Franklin was a famous American. He lived from 1706 to 1790. Benjamin Franklin was an inventor. He invented many things that we use today. He invented bifocal eyeglasses. He invented the Franklin stove. Franklin was the writer of Poor Richard's Almanac. It was a book with information about the weather and other topics. Franklin became the first postmaster general of the United States in 1775. He created the postal, or mail, system in the United States. Also, he started the first free libraries. Later, he was a U.S. diplomat. He was the oldest member at the Constitutional Convention.