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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Pennsylvania’s 1776 Constitution: A Parallel Celebration
The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, but it also marks the semi-quincentennial of another seminal text: the Pennsylvania Constitution…
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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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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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WilmU One-on-One: Meet Andy Sinclair, Faculty Member and 2026 VISTA NextGen Superstar
On April 30, Andy Sinclair, Wilmington University Alumnus, Assistant Professor, and Chair of Business Analytics and Applied Technology programs, was recognized as a 2026 VISTA NextGen Superstar at a reception held on…
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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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Why Philadelphia Became the Birthplace of American Independence
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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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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Most Illustrations of Ben Franklin’s Philadelphia Kite Experiment Filled with Historical Inaccuracies
Most of the illustrations of Benjamin Franklin’s kite experiment on the outskirts of Philadelphia are riddled with historical inaccuracies, writes Jennifer Ouellette for Ars Technica.…
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Area Man Almost Invented the 1st Automobile–in the Late 1700s
A Warminster man is being remembered for “just missing” his chance to be the inventor of the first working automobile. Carl LaVO wrote about the…
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Before the Revolution Was Fought with Guns, Philadelphia’s Thomas Paine Sparked It 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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Ardmore Company Lists Letter Proving Benjamin Franklin’s Influence in the American Revolution
The Raab Collection, an Ardmore-based company that buys and sells historical documents, recently listed a letter written by Benjamin Franklin, writes Tori Latham for the…
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Untangling a Revolution: How Ken Burns and His Team Brought America’s Revolution to Life
Everyone thinks they know the story of the American Revolution including the midnight rides, the musket smoke, George Washington at Valley Forge. But filmmaker Ken…
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Across All 6 Episodes, Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley Take Center Stage in Ken Burns’ The American Revolution
The Revolution that changed the world was born right here in the Delaware Valley, in the muddy crossroads of Chester County, the meeting houses of…
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How Secret Meetings at Carpenters’ Hall in Philadelphia Helped Secure America’s Independence
A secret meeting between Benjamin Franklin and French spy Julien-Alexandre Achard de Bonvouloir at Carpenters’ Hall in 1775 helped bolster America’s fight for independence, writes…
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Ken Burns’ New Documentary ‘The American Revolution’ Puts Ben Franklin at Start, Philadelphia at Center
After a decade of filming for his new docuseries The American Revolution, Ken Burns begins with Ben Franklin and positions Philadelphia right at the heart…






















