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Meet Benjamin Franklin (1:48)

Benjamin Franklin was an accomplished revolutionary, but his private life reveals a complex personality.

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Videos (11)

  • Meet Benjamin Franklin
    Meet Benjamin Franklin

    Video Clip (1:48)

    Benjamin Franklin was an accomplished revolutionary, but his private life reveals a complex personality.

    Video Clip (1:48)
  • Ben Franklin's Pen Name
    Ben Franklin's Pen Name

    Video Clip (2:38)

    While an apprentice in his older brother's print shop, Ben Franklin authored a column under the pen name Silence Dogood.

    Video Clip (2:38)
  • Ben Franklin Sparks Electricity
    Ben Franklin Sparks Electricity

    Video Clip (3:58)

    After retiring from politics age 42, Ben Franklin became an innovator in the field of science through his study of electricity and his invention of the lightning rod.

    Video Clip (3:58)
  • Ben Franklin the Ladies' Man
    Ben Franklin the Ladies' Man

    Video Clip (3:17)

    Ben Franklin had a passion for smart, beautiful women, but does the truth support the myth about his prolific romantic appetite?

    Video Clip (3:17)
  • Benjamin Franklin's Secret Societies
    Benjamin Franklin's Secret Societies

    Video Clip (3:16)

    While in England, Ben Franklin may have been a member of a secret underground society known as the Hellfire Club.

    Video Clip (3:16)
  • American Revolution
    American Revolution

    Video Clip (3:20)

    Get the story of how a fledgling, largely disconnected nation won its freedom from the greatest military force of its time.

    Video Clip (3:20)
  • The Founding Fathers Unite
    The Founding Fathers Unite

    Video Clip (2:51)

    Who wrote which parts of the anonymous Federalist Papers? Madison and Jefferson disagree.

    Video Clip (2:51)
  • Declaration of Independence
    Declaration of Independence

    Video Clip (3:03)

    To many in the Continental Congress, war was unthinkable. So why did they finally create this revolutionary document?

    Video Clip (3:03)
  • America Gets a Constitution
    America Gets a Constitution

    Video Clip (3:09)

    After several failed attempts at creating a government, a 1787 convention is called to draft a new legal system for the United States. This new Constitution provides for increased federal authority while still protecting the basic rights of its citizens.

    Video Clip (3:09)
  • The Naked Underground: Founding Father's Death Wish
    The Naked Underground: Founding Father's Death Wish

    Video Clip (1:22)

    In this Naked Underground video, explore the urban legends surrounding the founding fathers of the United States. Did all fifty-six signers all die mysterious deaths shortly after signing the Declaration of Independence.

    Video Clip (1:22)
  • Pumpkin Carving: Ben Franklin
    Pumpkin Carving: Ben Franklin

    Video Clip (1:55)

    Pumpkin carver Steve Clarke takes us through some of his more intricate carvings.

    Video Clip (1:55)

Photo Galleries (6)

  • Founding Fathers and Pre-Civil War Presidents
    Founding Fathers and Pre-Civil War Presidents

    15 Photos

    View an image slideshow on Founding Fathers and Pre-Civil War Presidents.

    (15 Photos)
  • Inventions: Inventors
    Inventions: Inventors

    8 Photos

    (8 Photos)
  • American Revolution: Continental Congress
    American Revolution: Continental Congress

    11 Photos

    Discover the accomplishments of the First and Second Constitutional Congresses, and learn about the major players behind such documents as the Declaration of Independence and the Treaty of Paris.

    (11 Photos)
  • American Revolution: Flags and Fliers
    American Revolution: Flags and Fliers

    10 Photos

    Discover some of the flags and fliers that circulated amongst the colonies before and during the American Revolution.

    (10 Photos)
  • American Revolution: Key Military Figures
    American Revolution: Key Military Figures

    10 Photos

    View images of key military figures from the American Revolution, and learn what role they played in this war of independence.

    (10 Photos)
  • American Revolution: Events and Battles
    American Revolution: Events and Battles

    12 Photos

    Explore Revolutionary battle sites such as Lexington, Concord and Yorktown, and learn how the events that took place there shaped the course of the war.

    (12 Photos)

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Read More about Benjamin Franklin

One of the most renowned figures in American history, Benjamin Franklin was a statesman, publisher, author, scientist, inventor and diplomat.

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