Benjamin Franklin and John Adams were commissioned to travel to New York to meet with the British at the request of Lord William Howe, a British General. As the two traveled to the scheduled meeting to try to resolve the problems that had caused the Revolutionary War, they had to spend a night at an Inn.
The two had to share a room as there was no other space available to the travelers. As they prepared to retire, John Adams began to close the window to the room, Franklin asked him not to and explained his reasoning.
There are those who deem it necessary to besmirch the characters of GREAT men in the history of the Unites States. Much that is untrue has been said or written about Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and yes, even George Washington.
Benjamin Franklin was asked one question as he left the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia after the meeting had adjourned on September 17, 1787. He was asked by a widow as Ben walked slowly down the steps: “Well, Doctor Franklin, what have we got, a Monarchy or a Republic?”
Then again I’ve gotta add the story about Benjamin Franklin. I read his Autobiography when I was in 8th of 9th grade. I liked it. I didn’t really realize that I had actually learned some lessons in character by just reading this wonderful, easy to read book.
After reviewing some things I have in common with John Adams, I had to remember why I started studying the Founding Fathers anyway. As a young lawyer I was appointed by the mayor of Phoenix, Arizona, to be a member of his “Citizens Crime Commission,” a group of volunteers who met monthly and discussed methods the Mayor could use to alleviate crime in the City.
It seems that my own life has had some parallels with John. We are about the same general size. Of course, I am much more handsome than he. If you’ll recall, John went to college at his family’s insistence. Well, his fathers. He went to Harvard College, which at the time trained students to become ministers, teachers, or lawyers.
Franklin didn’t have much of a formal education, but he had a lion’s share of personal experience and the use of knowledge. But he did have some strong opinions on education for American children.
He had some interesting help along the way. Alexander Hamilton, James Monroe, General von Steuben, Nathan Hale, and even Thomas Paine. Paine was there when Washington crossed the Delaware for that famous battle of Trenton (and Princeton).