Available Birth Data
Astrodatabank reports a DD ‘dirty data’ birth time of 10:30 AM. Records are consistent that Franklin was born across the street from Boston’s Old South Meeting House on Sunday morning 7-Jan-1706 O.S. and was baptized ‘the Sunday morning of his birth’ according to church records. Accounts vary, but the presumption is Franklin was born early enough on Sunday morning sufficiently early so that he could be taken across the street and baptized during the regularly scheduled Sunday service. Astrodatabank presents proposes rectified times of 1:30 AM, 9:37:20 AM, 10:58 AM, 11:00 AM, and 9:40 PM.
In A Rectification Manual (2008), I proposed a trial rectification of 1:43:14 PM with an Ascendant of 16GE11’19”. Part of the motivation for that rectification was choice of Gemini rising as a delineation match to Franklin’s intellectual curiosity. In this revised rectification, I am motivated more by Zodiacal Releasing from Spirit to choose a time of 9:03:02 AM with an Ascendant of 29AQ09’55”. In the 2008 trial rectification Mercury rules the Ascendant sign; in the revised 2020 rectification, Mercury/Aquarius-rx influences the Ascendant sign by position.
Proposed Rectification
Benjamin Franklin
6-Jan-1706 AD JC
17-Jan-1706 AD GC
9:03:02 AM
LMT +04:44:15
Boston, MA
71w03’37
42n21’30
ASC 29AQ09’55”
Stage I. Determine the Ascendant sign
Firdaria
The following events favor the diurnal Firdaria sequence:
- Major Mercury – 1724/1736. Began printing business in 1724.
- Major Jupiter – 1757/1768. Happiest five years of his life are described as his years in England between 1757/1762. Jupiter/Cancer is exalted.
- Major Mars – 1769/1775. Approach to Revolutionary War. Franklin’s earlier successful attempts in reigning in the Stamp Act (1766) were not repeated.
- Major North Node – 1776/1778. Named Commissioner to the French Court, Helped negotiate an alliance with France during 1778.
- Major South Node – 1779/1780. Dispute with John Adams. Unsavory.
Moon’s Configuration
| Time | Moon’s Degree | Sect | Configuration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 28AQ56 | N | Moon separates from Mars and is VOC |
| 1:43 AM | 00PI00 | N | Moon applies to Venus |
| 7:31 AM | 3PI31 | D | Moon applies to Venus |
| 11:15 AM | 5PI47 | D | Moon separates from Venus and applies to Saturn |
| 4:50 PM | 9PI10 | N | Moon separates from Venus and applies to Saturn |
| 10:59 PM | 12PI54 | N | Moon separates from Saturn and applies to Mars |
| 12:00 AM | 13PI31 | N | Moon separates from Saturn and applies to Mars |
In my 2008 rectification, I delineated Saturn/Taurus as the practical application of science for mankind and favored the Moon’s separation from Venus and application to Saturn. Venus/Capricorn in mutual reception with Saturn/Taurus does link the two planets closely and makes it difficult to determine how the Moon’s application to Venus, or the Moon’s separation from Venus and application to Saturn might produce a distinctly different set of life themes which makes it possible to choose one configuration over the other. As ZRS analysis shows below, the Moon’s application to Venus proves the better configuration, despite arguments I made in 2008.
Zodiacal Releasing from Spirit
Choice of Capricorn as the sign of the Lot of Spirit is an easy match to life affairs. Key event:
- L1 Capricorn – L2 Cancer loosing of the bond. Breaks printing apprenticeship with Brother James, sailed for New York, Philadelphia, and London as he begins his printing career.
- L1 Aquarius – L2 Leo loosing of the bond. Winds up active printing career and begins scientific experiments including the famous kite and key experiment conducted during a lighting storm.
- L1 Aries. Finds himself ‘in the cockpit’ before the British Privy Council 9 days after the start of L1 Aries. The key event which radicalizes Franklin in favor of Independence.
Conclusion: If the L.Spirit is in Capricorn, then the corresponding Ascendant range is 6AQ45 – 7PI29. Based on Franklin’s intellectual curiosity, I favor Aquarius over Pisces as the Ascendant.
Configuration of the Chart
An Aquarius Ascendant is consistent with the following life affairs:
South Node/Scorpio/10th ruled by Mars/Sagittarius/11th signifies a diminished career and reputation from political alliances, organizations, and individuals who are fractious and violent. As the final rectification will show, the Hutchinson letter affair was timed by dynamic activity of Mars and timed his humiliation before the British Privy Council on 29-Jan-1774 which radicalized Franklin to the cause of independence for the colonies.
Sun/Capricorn/12th (Sun in the bound of Mars) with Mars/Sagittarius/11th signifies infamy and secret arms deals with Silas Deane and Beaumarchais in France as the revolution broke out. The configuration also signifies fame from municipal firefighting organizations.
Mercury/Aquarius-rx/1st in the house of his joy is consistent with Franklin’s intellectual curiosity.
Stage II. Determine the Ascendant’s range within 1-4 degrees
Lots
Lot of Marriage 22LI38/7PI221-Sep-1730, Married Deborah Reed, dsa Mercury 7PI18 conj antiscia of L.Marriage.
19-Dec-1774. Death of Deborah Reed, trSouth Node 7PI25 conj antisicia of L.Marriage.
Lot of Accusation, Exile, and Injury 21CA28/8GE3229-Jan-1774. Placed in cockpit before UK Privy Council, dsa Saturn 21CA15 conj the lot.
Stage III. Determine the exact Degree and Minute of the Ascendant
Solar Arc Directions
2-Apr-1722. csa MC sextile Sun
23-Apr-1722. dsa Sun sextile MC
25-Jul-1722. csa ASC conj Mercury
15-Aug-1722. dsa Mercury conj ASCFirst published letter of the pseudonymous author ‘Silence Dogood’ published, 2-Apr-1722.
Writes another 13 letters under same penname. Assumed identity of a middle aged woman with strong progressive ideas on women’s rights and other issues. Identity revealed on October 1722 which hurt relations with his brother James, editor of the paper, as BF upstaged him.
Sun/12th is consistent with a secret penname. Mercury/1st in his joy placed in the bound of Venus/Aquarius takes up women’s issues.
15-Sep-1751. csa MC sq Sun
7-Feb-1752. dsa Sun sq MCFirst fire insurance company, as proposed by BG, is formally organized, 7-Sep-1751.
Pennsylvania Hospital opened at 8th and Spruce streets in Philadelphia, 6-Feb-1752.
Sun/12th of hospitalization is a delineation match; and per discussion made in Stage I Configuration of the Chart, Sun in bound of Mars with Mars/Sagittarius/11th (out of sect malefic) ties BF’ fame and honor to organizations pertaining to fire.
Note: These events are also timed by the primary direction of the MC to the Sun (see below).
2-Jul-1773. csa ASC conj Mars
20-Apr-1774. dsa Mars conj ASC**This solar arc pair forms the bookends to the most volatile events of the Hutchinson affair.**
- BF clandestinely obtained Hutchinson letters, Dec-1772
- Hutchinson letters read to Massachusetts assembly against Franklin’s advice.
- Hutchinson letters published in Boston Gazette, mid-June-1773.
- BF published anti-British policy satires “Rules by Which a Great Empire May Be Reduced to a Small One” and “Edict by the Kind of Prussia”, Sep-1773.
- William Whately accused John Temple of taking the Hutchinson letters resulting in a duel which left Whately slightly injured, ear-Dec-1773.
- BF published letter admitting he was responsible for acquisition and transmission of letters to avoid a second duel between Whately and Temple, 25-Dec-1773.
- Mass assembly petitions England for removal of Governor Thomas Hutchinson, 25-Dec-1773.
- News of the Boston Tea Party reached London, Jan-1774.
- Ben condemned in public in UK over “Hutchinson Affair”, 11-Jan-1774.
- Franklin was accused of stealing the Hutchinson letters, excoriated and denounced as thief by Solicitor General Alexander Wedderburn before the Privy Council. BF is blamed for the entire colonial rebellion. Franklin refused to respond to Wedderburn’s accusations. “In the Cockpit – KEY LIFE EVENT”, 29-Jan-1774.
- Franklin removed from his position as Deputy Postmaster General in America by the British government, 31-Jan-1774.
- Effigies of Wedderburn and Hutchinson carted through Philadelphia, hanged, and burned by electricity, 3-May-1774.
Primary Directions
REG D Saturn/Aquarius P ASC d. => Sun 17-Oct-1729Became owner, publisher, and editor of weekly paper, the Pennsylvania Gazette, 2-Oct-1729.
REG D Venus/Sagittarius P MC c. => Sun 31-Mar-1751
PT D Venus/Sagittarius P MC c. => Sun 5-Sep-1751Successfully lobbied the Pennsylvania Assembly for funding for first PA hospital, 7-Feb-1751.
Put forth plan to establish the first fire insurance company, 26-Jul-1751.
Fire insurance company formally organized, 7-Sep-1751.
REG D Saturn/Aries P Sin sextile ASC d. => Sun 24-Mar-1766Stamp Act repealed following BF’ testimony in England, 18-Mar-1766.
BF’s reputation soars and is now unofficial spokesman for the colonies.
PT D Saturn/Aquarius P ASC d. => Mars (MA) 24-Mar-1776
PT D Saturn/Aquarius P ASC d. => Mars (0) 30-Mar-1776BF serving on the Committee of Secret Correspondence (w Benjamin Harrison, John Dickinson, John Jay, and Robert Morris) commissioned Silas Deane “to go into France, there to transact such Business, commercial and political, as we have committed to his Care, in Behalf and by Authority of the Congress of the thirteen united Colonies.” 2-Mar-1776.
Beaumarchais sent a million livres to US, from France, an unsolicited amount of funds, May-1776; one month after Spain sends funds, April-1776.
REG D Mercury/Taurus P Saturn (SA) d. => Sun 15-Mar-1778King Louis XVI formally receives American commissioners at Versailles. BF flaunts protocol be appearing as the ‘natural man’ with no sword, etc., 20-Mar-1778.
PT D Mercury/Taurus P Saturn (0) d. => Sun 4-Sep-1783John Adams, Franklin, and John Jay signed the Treaty of Paris between Great Britain and the United States. Perhaps the greatest achievement of BF’s life, 3-Sep-1783.
REG D Mercury/Scorpio P Dex sq Mercury (0) c. => Sun 29-Apr-1790Died, 17-Apr-1790.
Mercury rules the 8th of death.
From the ‘Medieval Astrology Profile for Benjamin Franklin,’ Victor Database
For more information on Doctor H’s work, visit the House of Wisdom