Franklin Remixed

Founding Father Franklin

  There never was a good war, or a bad peace.

-Benjamin Franklin in a letter to friend Sir Joseph Banks, July 27, 1783

Franklin was an awesome statesman who spent much of his political career abroad, first in London, then in Paris. Franklin worked hard to create a new country and a new government. And he was the only founding father to sign four key documents that established the United States of America: the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Alliance with France, the Treaty of Peace with England and the U.S. Constitution. Read about Founding Father Franklin squabbling with the English and wooing the French.

Franklin before the Lords in Council

Ben came to England as a loyalist, someone who was loyal to the English King. He was there for 17 years. He was sent there by the Pennsylvania government to serve as their agent. Over time Ben began to change. He wrote letters opposing the Stamp Act, making the English government furious. This picture of the cockpit shows when Ben changed from being a loyalist to a Patriot. Ben was called before the English Parliament. The members of the Parliament were furious at Franklin for opposing the Stamp Act. During this hour-long interrogation, the British jeered and called Franklin names, telling him he was no friend of theirs. Ben stood as still as a stone, never moving. This picture shows the good in Ben but the ugly in the British.

- Marina, S., Jorge, M-S

Holograph draft of the Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence is a document that Franklin helped to write. This document states that America has declared its independence as a nation. The Declaration of Independence also meant that America wanted to be free from English colonial rule. The fact that Ben helped to write this document was very significant because Ben had always considered himself an Englishman. The Declaration of Independence stated “all men are created equal.” This was very hypocritical because Franklin and many of the other drafters of this document owned slaves. Although Franklin was hypocritical, by the time he died, he had become passionate in opposing slavery. And by that time he died, he had made a tremendous impact on American history.

- Jorge, M-S

Franklin at the Court of France

After the Declaration of Independence was signed, America was getting ready to fight a war against the largest military power at the time, Great Britain. The Americans desperately needed an alliance with another country if they wanted to win the war. Ben was chosen to be America’s diplomat. Franklin was known throughout the world because he was a famous scientist. When he arrived in France, the French greeted him and they helped him get to the court of the king. Ben Franklin arrived at the court and asked King Louis XVI for military help in fighting the war against Britain. After many discussions, the King of France agreed to sign an alliance with America and the war that surely would have been lost without this support gave Americans a chance to have their own separate nation.

- Jorge, M-S

Benjamin Franklin’s Constitution

The U.S. Constitution One of the most important documents that Benjamin Franklin helped to create was the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution’s purpose was to make the United States a more efficient and civilized union. This document provides a system of principles to better govern a nation. Ben was 81 years of age when he helped draft the document and he was very political throughout his life. Franklin also helped write the Declaration of Independence and the Treaty of Amity with France years before. So when the time came for Franklin to help write the Constitution, he was very experienced. This document was very influential both then and now. It helped to make America a more civilized nation.

- Chanaiah M.

Am I Not a Man and a Brother? (anti-slavery medallion)

In 1772, when Ben Franklin was forty-two years old, he bought a few slaves, and was given one as a payment of debt. “How,” asked the British, “could Americans demand liberties and freedoms that they refused to extend to everyone, white or black?” Franklin became aware that slavery was cruel, so he wrote and spoke for anti-slavery laws. Although Ben told people to free their slaves, he did not free his own slaves until 1775. Later in his life, Franklin fought against slavery and in 1787, he was elected the president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery.

- Jorge, M-S