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…
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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…
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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.…
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Pottstown’s GoFourth! Festival Is Back — and This Year, It’s Personal
Mark your calendar: July 4, 2026, Memorial Park, all day. The Pottstown GoFourth! Festival is returning for its 10th season,…
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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…
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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…
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How 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,…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Conshohocken Artists Behind Pennsylvania Farm Show’s Iconic Butter Sculpture
Conshohocken artists are once again behind one of Pennsylvania’s most beloved winter traditions, writes Jason Nark for The Philadelphia Inquirer.…
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Local Cause-Related Protests Are Nothing New, as Evidenced by an Abington Quaker from the 1700s.
The newsworthy, cause-driven, high-profile protests of today are really nothing new. Marcus Rediker, in Smithsonian Magazine, demonstrated their area longevity…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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