Who Was Benjamin Franklin?

       Benjamin Franklin, LL.D., an American philosopher, patriot and statesman; borm at Boston, January 17, 1706. He was the fifteenth child and youngest son (of a family of seventeen children) of Josiah Franklin, an Englishman, who came to America in 1682 and was a tallow-chandler and soap-boiler.  

       At an early age Benjamin Franklin evinced a passion for a seafaring life, and his father, to prevent his running away, bound him as apprentice to his brother, James Franklin, a printer. He now obtained free access to books, for which he had a remarkable fondness. He studied very late at night and occasionally sent anonymous contributions to a paper conducted by his brother, which were very favorably received. Becoming a skillful printer at the age of seventeen, he removed to Philadelphia, where he was at first employed as a journeyman printer; but afterward deciding to go into business for himself, and having been promised some aid by a friend, he went to London to procure the necessary materials. Disappointed in the remittances which he expected, he was compelled to work in that city as a journeyman. After remaining there more than a year he returned to Philadelphia in 1726, and three years later was enabled to commence business for himself. He married Deborah Read in 1730. He established the Pennsylvania Gazette, which became in a short time exceedingly popular as well as profitable. He began to publish in 1732 an almanac which became celebrated as Poor Richard's Almanac though purporting to be issued by Richard Saunders. As an editor he did all that lay in his power to promote every enterprise for the public good. Through his efforts the Philadelphia Library was founded in 1731, and grew to be one of the most extensive in the United States. Justly appreciated for his honesty, prudence, and ability, he was the recipient of many honors. He became clerk of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania in 1736, postmaster of Philadelphia in the year following, and Deputy Postmaster-General for the British colonies in 1753. He was sent to England four years later by the people of Pennsylvania as their representative in the contest with the proprietaries regarding the exemption of their estates from taxation. He performed the duties of his mission before the Privy Council with ability and success, and on returning to America, in 1762, received the thanks of the Assembly. Having already attained distinction among scientific men by his successful experiments in electricity, he made a valuable and brilliant discovery in 1752, by means of a kite, of the identity of lightning with electricity. An account of his discoveries was read before the Royal Society, but was treated by that body with little consideration. Count de Buffon, however, having obtained a copy, caused it to be translated into French. It immediately attracted great attention in Europe. The Royal Society, having the subject again brought before it, and without any request on the part of Franklin, immediately elected him a Fellow, excused him from the payment of the usual admission fees, awarded him the Copley gold medal, and presented him with their Transactions. In 1762 the degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by the Universities of Oxford and Edinburgh. He was again sent to England by the Assembly in 1764 to oppose the measures for taxing the American colonies, but the Stamp Act was passed in 1765. However, by his rare tact and ability he succeeded in obtaining the repeal of that obnoxious law, but other subjects of dispute of equal importance still remained unsettled.

       Franklin, after an absence of more than ten years, returned to America May 5, 1775. On the day following he was unanimously elected a delegate to the Continental Congress by the Assembly of Pennsylvania. He was one of the committee of five who drew up the Declaration of Independence, which was approved by Congress, July 4, 1776, and was afterward signed by Franklin and others. Sent as Ambassador to France in the latter part of that year, he was chiefly instrumental in forming the treaty of alliance between that country and the United States, which conferred such signal benefits on the cause of independence.

         Franklin also took a prominent part in negotiating a treaty of peace with England, the preliminary articles of which were signed at Paris, November 30, 1782. The full treaty itself was signed in that city, September 3, 1783, by Franklin, Adams, and Jay. After negotiating a treaty with Prussia, in which he inserted a clause against privateering, he returned to Philadelphia in September, 1785, and in October was elected President of Pennsylvania, to which position he was re-elected in 1786 and 1787. He sat as a delegate in the Convention which met in Philadelphia in 1787 to form a Constitution of the United States.

       Franklin was a President of the Society for the Abolition of Slavery. He died April 17, 1790.

Visit the Benjamin Franklin Museum.

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Who Was John Jay?

        Jay, John, an American statesman and the first Chief-Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, was born in New York, December 12, 1745. After graduating at King's (now Columbia) College, he read law, and was admitted to the bar in 1768. He soon acquired an extensive and lucrative practice, and obtained great influence in the assemblies which met to consider the hostile attitude of the British government In 1774 he was elected to the First Continental Congress, at Philadelphia, and became one of the most prominent leaders of that body. He gained distinction as an eloquent and forcible writer by the addresses to the people of Great Britain and to the people of Canada which he prepared. He aided in forming the Constitution of New York m 1777, and in May of the same year was appointed Chief-Justice of that State. He was afterward chosen President of Congress, and was sent as Minister to Spam in September, 1779. He afterward negotiated, with Adams and others, at Paris, the treaty of peace between the United States and Great Britain which was signed September 3, 1783. In 1784 he was appointed by Congress Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Be returned to America and accepted the position, the duties of which he performed with great ability until the election of Washington, in 1789. He joined with Hamilton and Madison in 1787 in writing The Federalist and two years later was appointed by Washington Chief- Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

       In 1794, Jay was sent as a special envoy to England to adjust various causes of dispute which had arisen between that country and America. He consented with the greatest reluctance to accept the mission, as he was well aware of the difficulties which surrounded it He concluded a treaty in November which was bitterly assailed in America by the party favorable to France, and Jay was himself burned in effigy in Boston. He was however, defended with rare ability by Alexander Hamilton and by Fisher Ames. During his absence in Europe he was, without his consent, elected Governor of the State of New York; but he accepted the position, and held it for six years. During his administration slavery was abolished in that State. At the end of his second term he declined a renomination, and also his former position of Chief-Justice of the United States, which was tendered him. Died May 17, 1829. 

The Reluctant Revolutionary.

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Who Was Thomas Jefferson?

       Thomas Jefferson was an American statesman, and the third President of the United States, was born at Shadwell, Virginia, April 2, 1743. After graduating at William and Mary College he read law under Judge Wythe, was admitted to the bar m 1767, and practiced law with extraordinary success. He was elected a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1769, and in 1773 united with Patrick Henry and other leaders of the patriotic party in the formation of the Committee of Correspondence for uniting the colonies in action, and for disseminating information among them. He was a staunch and able supporter of the advanced views of the patriot party, and in June, 1775, took his seat in the Continental Congress, where in the next year he was appointed, with Franklin, Adams and others, on a committee to prepare a declaration of independence, and was himself designated as chairman of such committee. At the request of his colleagues he drafted what is since known as the " Declaration of American Independence," which was reported to Congress June 28, and unanimously adopted by that body July 4, 1776. He subsequently resigned his seat in Congress, as well as the appointment of commissioner to France, served for some time in the Virginia Assembly, where he effected numerous valuable reforms, and in 1779 was elected Governor of Virginia. He was twice appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to negotiate a peace with England, but in both instances was prevented by circumstances beyond his control from accepting the position. He was re-elected to Congress in 1783, was sent as Minister Plenipotentiary to Europe in 1784 by Congress to form treaties with different powers, and in 1785 was chosen to succeed Benjamin Franklin as Minister at Paris. Jefferson formed while in France a strong and enduring predilection for the people of that country as opposed to those of England. Returning to America in 1789, he became Secretary of State in the Cabinet of Washington.

       The struggle between the two great parties, the Federalists and the Republicans, now commenced. Hamilton, at the head of the former, favored a United States Bank and the observance of a strict neutrality between England and France, while Jefferson, as leader of the latter, bitterly opposed the financial measures of Hamilton and advocated assisting the French with men and arms. The disputes between these two rival statesmen at length grew so stormy that Jefferson resigned his office, December 31, 1793.

       At the dose of Washington's second term Jefferson was nominated for President by the Republicans. John Adams was elected, but Jefierson, having received the next highest number of votes, became, as the law then stood, Vice-President of the United States. He was elected President in 1800, was re-elected in 1804, and withdrew to private life in 1809, after a successful and prosperous administration of eight years. He was one of the principal founders of the University of Virginia, at Charlottesville, near his residence at Monticello, of which institution he became the rector. He died on the same day with John Adams, July 4, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the promulgation of the Declaration of Independence.

A Mini Biography of Thomas Jefferson.

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Who Was Samuel Adams?

       Samuel Adams, one of the most eminent of American patriots and orators during the early days of the nation; born in Boston in 1722; graduated at Harvard in 1740. He early distinguished himself as a political writer of great ability. He was in 1765 elected from Boston a member of the General Assembly of Massachusetts, to which position he was successively reelected for nine years. He was one of the first men of prominence who favored American independence. On account of the prominent part he took in organizing measures of resistance to the British Government, he was one of the two popular leaders who were excepted from the general pardon offered in June, 1775. Elected in 1774 to the Continental Congress, he was in 1776 one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and afterward served as State Senator, member of the Convention which ratified the Federal Constitution, Lieutenant-Governor and Governor of his native State. A s an orator he was ardent, luminous, and eloquent. Died in Boston, October 2, 1803. 

Pilot for series Liberty Kids - The Boston Tea Party

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Who Was Patrick Henry?

       Patrick Henry was an American orator and patriot; born in Virginia. May 29, 1736. He was the son of John Henry, who was a native of Scotland, and a nephew of Robertson the historian. Having twice failed in mercantile pursuits, he studied law, was admitted to the bar, and ruse to distinction in 1763 by his speech against the clergy, who attempted under an old statute to enforce the payment of their salaries in tobacco. Having been elected to the House of Burgesse in 1765, he at once became the champion of the cause of the colonies, acquired a very high reputation as an orator, and introduced against the Stamp Act a series of resolutions which he succeeded in having passed in May, 1765. From that time until the declaration of independence he kept steadily in advance of the most ardent patriots, and by his unsurpassed powers of oratory caused the adoption of many measures which at the time were regarded by other leaders in the cause of liberty as violent and premature, but which were proved in time to be wise and prudent. He was elected to the Continental Congress in 1774, and gained yet higher distinction as an orator, He was chosen Governor of Virginia in 1776, and was reelected to the same office in 1777, 1778, 1784, and 1785. He is regarded as one of the greatest American orators. Died June 6, 1799. 

 Dr. Ralph Green re-enacts Patrick Henry's Speech

"Give me liberty or Give me death."

Read a written version of that same speech here.

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