On June 7 the issue of independence was raised, and four days later a committee, of which Franklin was a member, was appointed to draft a declaration, which was submitted to Congress on the 28th. Why did Benjamin Franklin refuse to write the Declaration of Independence? He did not want his humor to distract from the document's purpose. Select the reasons that Congress wanted a written Declaration of Independence. In 1776, he was part of the five-member committee that helped draft the Declaration of Independence, in which the 13 American colonies declared their freedom from British rule. In May 1743, Benjamin Franklin issued “A Proposal for Promoting Useful Knowledge among the British Plantations in America.” Franklin and others founded For this month's Research Highlight, we're going back to the basics: the who, what, where, when, and why of the very first printing of the Declaration of Independence, the Dunlap broadside! Franklin was back in America in May 1775 shortly after the Concord and Lexington Battles in Massachusetts. Colonies joined forces and met at the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia in June 1776 to manage war efforts and set the stage for independence. Benjamin Franklin signed the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776, when he was 70 years old, making him the oldest signer. Edward Rutledge was 26 years old when he signed the Declaration of Independence in August 1776, making him the youngest delegate to do so. What role did Benjamin Franklin play in the American Revolution? As a member of the Congress, Franklin served with Thomas Jefferson and John Adams on the committee to frame the Declaration of Independence. In addition, Franklin traveled to the country of France to help gain French support for American independence. Who was Thomas Jefferson? Drafted by Thomas Jefferson, and edited by luminaries such as Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. After the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, Benjamin Franklin set sail for France to secure crucial support for the American cause. His charm, wit, and intelligence won over the French court, and he soon became a beloved figure in Parisian society. After signing The Declaration of Independence, Franklin did not remain in Philadelphia much longer thereafter. The reason for Franklin’s departure was that he was named the United States Commissioner (Ambassador) to France in December of 1776, and he returned to Europe. In 1787, Franklin served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention at age 81, becoming one of only six men to sign both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Benjamin Franklin primarily served as the editor of the Declaration of Independence. His changes were believed to have been minimal, but, when the document went before the entire Continental Congress, the draft was more thoroughly changed by the larger body from Jefferson’s original text. The Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence—written largely by Jefferson—in Philadelphia on July 4, a date now celebrated as the birth of American independence. Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706 [O.S. January 6, 1705] [Note 1] – April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and political philosopher. [1] Among the most influential intellectuals of his time, Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States; a drafter and signer of the Declaration of Independence; and Signers of the Declaration of Independence Download this Information in PDF Format On August 2, 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence, pledging their lives, fortunes, and honor to the cause of liberty and independence. Among these signers was Benjamin Franklin, one of the most influential and well-known Americans of his time. Did Ben Franklin help write the Constitution? Benjamin Franklin was a Founding Father and a polymath, inventor, scientist, printer, politician, freemason and diplomat. Franklin helped to draft the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, and he negotiated the 1783 Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary War. Perhaps the most important of all of his political escapades was his participation in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. He was sole commissioner to France. He was a founding father, was central to our independence and more. During his life he wrote his Autobiography where shared his life. Note: The following text is a transcription of the Stone Engraving of the parchment Declaration of Independence (the document on display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum.) The spelling and punctuation reflects the original. A brief biography of Benjamin Franklin, signer of the Declaration of Independence from Pennsylvania and all-around Rennaissance man
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