By Blaine McCormick

"USA250: The Story of the World's Greatest Economy" is a yearlong WSJ series examining America's first 250 years. Read more about it from Editor in Chief Emma Tucker.

Before he became a patriot and founding father, Benjamin Franklin was a businessman. His print shops issued some of the most successful publications in Colonial America. Among other things, Franklin used his media platform to teach basic business acumen to his neighbors in the emerging commercial republic. He shared business teaching via his bestselling "Poor Richard's Almanack," his newspaper and ultimately his autobiography.

Some of his business teachings survive to this day in our collective cultural memory. But many have, unfortunately, been forgotten.

How many of these business maxims from his "Poor Richard's Almanack" can you remember? Take our quiz to test your knowledge. One note: We have changed some capitalization, spelling and punctuation; no need to make this even harder than it is.

Blaine McCormick is a management professor at the Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University and author of "Ben Franklin: America's Original Entrepreneur." He can be reached at reports@wsj.com.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 29, 2026 12:00 ET (16:00 GMT)

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