Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin is an American inventor, writer, and Founding Father.
He is known for his studies on electricity, his role in drafting the Declaration of Independence, and his work as a diplomat and scientist who helped shape the foundation of the United States.
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How Philadelphia Invented Modern America — and Why It Still Matters
While most American cities have a history, Philadelphia has a blueprint. Much of the concepts that are common in American society — from public libraries…
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Inside Philadelphia Man’s Quest to Commemorate Ben Franklin’s Early Home in Old City
Richard Armandi, a devoted Benjamin Franklin aficionado, is on a quest to turn the site of Benjamin Franklin’s early home into a memorial to the…
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Philadelphia’s Smallest National Park Honors a Revolutionary War Hero Most Americans Can’t Name
The Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial in Philadelphia carries the often mispronounced name of the Polish-born Revolutionary War hero and military engineer and is also the…
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Pennsylvania’s Other 250-Year-Old Document Deserves Its Own Celebration
As we reach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it is natural to focus on that world-changing document. However, the Pennsylvania Constitution of…
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Philadelphia’s Avenue of the Arts Is Now an Outdoor Gallery Featuring 42 Banners by 9 Local Artists
No ticket. No reservation. No velvet rope. Nine Philadelphia artists. Forty-two large-scale banners. South Broad Street transformed into an open-air gallery that belongs to everyone.…
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Pennsylvania Hospital, America’s Oldest Hospital, Officially Opens New Museum to the Public
Pennsylvania Hospital, the country’s oldest hospital, has been transformed into a new museum, writes Nicole Leonard for WHYY. The museum’s opening on Friday, May 8,…
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Rare Ben Franklin Memorabilia, Recently Displayed At Library Company of Philadelphia, To Be Auctioned in June
Dozens of memorabilia that once belonged to Benjamin Franklin are soon going up for auction, writes Earl Hopkins for The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Franklin memorabilia…
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Believed to Be First Sculpture of Benjamin Franklin, Rare Piece Heads to Auction
A bust of Benjamin Franklin, crafted by Flemish artist John Michael Rysbrack and believed to be the earliest sculpture of the Founding Father, is set…
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The Global Fight for American Freedom: 7 Immigrants Who Aided the Revolution
When we picture the American Revolution, names like George Washington or Benjamin Franklin often dominate the narrative. But the fight for independence depended on global…
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The Founding City: Why Philadelphia Was the Heart of the American Revolution
Why Philadelphia? When most people picture the American Revolution, they see muskets flashing in Boston, redcoats marching through New York, or Washington’s army crossing the…
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“Remember the Ladies”: 12 Philadelphia Women Who Shaped a Revolution
Everyone knows the story of Betsy Ross and the first American flag, sewn in a small upholstery shop on Arch Street in Old City Philadelphia.…
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The Greatest Event Since the Birth of Christ? Ken Burns Says It Began in the Delaware Valley
When Ken Burns, the celebrated documentary filmmaker behind The Civil War and The Vietnam War, calls the American Revolution “the most important event in world…
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Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia to Become Museum for America’s 250th Birthday
Pennsylvania Hospital, the oldest hospital in the country, is set to become Philadelphia’s newest museum as part of this year’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday,…
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1834 Benjamin Franklin Portrait Painted By Philadelphia Artist, Other Memorabilia Put Up For Auction By Founding Father’s Descendants
Benjamin Franklin’s portrait painted by Philadelphia portrait artist Thomas Sully and his daughter Jane Cooper Sully in 1834 has been put up for auction by…
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Why Benjamin Franklin Chose Philadelphia: How a Boston Childhood Led Him to America’s Greatest Colonial City
Benjamin Franklin’s story usually begins with the famous scenes: the lightning rod, the Pennsylvania Gazette, the founding of the American Philosophical Society, or the long…
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Historic Merger Set for Temple University and Library Company of Philadelphia
The Library Company of Philadelphia, established in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin, will merge with Temple University, linking the university’s research and grant-writing initiatives with the…
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Before the Revolution Was Fought with Guns, Philadelphia’s Thomas Paine Sparked Dissent with His Pen
Before the Revolution was fought with guns and bayonets, Thomas Paine fought it with words. Words that were sharper, louder, and more dangerous than any…
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WSJ: ‘Philadelphia: A Narrative History’ Offers Insights, But Focuses Unevenly on One Side of the Coin
Philadelphia: A Narrative History, a book by Paul Kahan is a trove of knowledge about the city, but it spends all too much time focusing…
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