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33 results for "Benjamin Franklin"

33 results for "Benjamin Franklin"

Unsullied by Falsehood: Ben Franklin and the Turkey

News
One of the most popular Thanksgiving-related myths in American history is the notion that Benjamin Franklin preferred the turkey as the national symbol of the United States, over the bald eagle. This story gained popularity in November 1962, when the New...

Delegate Discussions: Benjamin Rush's Characters

News
In February 1790, Dr. Benjamin Rush wrote a letter to John Adams, disparaging the histories of the American Revolution that had been written thus far: "Had I leisure, I would endeavor to rescue those characters from Oblivion, and give them the first place...

American Philosophical Society

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In May 1743, Benjamin Franklin issued “A Proposal for Promoting Useful Knowledge among the British Plantations in America.” Franklin and others founded the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia for this purpose, and today, it is the oldest...

The Freedom Trail

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Any list of “Things to Do in Boston” is almost guaranteed to include the Freedom Trail, a 2.5 mile long route through Boston that officially encompasses sixteen historic sites. The idea originated in a column written in March 1951 by local journalist Bill...

Presenting the Facts: National Treasure

News
In this edition of "Presenting the Facts", we explore the 2004 blockbuster National Treasure. The story was written by Jim Kouf, Oren Aviv, and Charles Segars, and the screenplay was by Jim Kouf, Cormac Wibberley, and Marianne Wibberley. It was directed...

Presenting the Facts: 1776

News
In this edition of "Presenting the Facts", we explore the 1972 movie adaptation of the musical 1776. The concept, music, and lyrics were by Sherman Edwards, and the book was written by Peter Stone. The musical opened on March 16, 1969 and closed on...

August Highlight: A Tale of Two Declarations

News
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of...

November Highlight: Election Connections

News
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were the only signers of the Declaration of Independence to become President of the United States, but they certainly weren't the only signers elected to public office in the new federal government. In fact, seven signers...

Who signed the Declaration of Independence?

FAQ

56 delegates to the Continental Congress signed the engrossed Declaration of Independence. Most of the signers voted in favor of independence on July 2nd. Some delegates who voted for independence did not sign the Declaration, and some signers were not...

Presenting the Facts: John Adams Miniseries

News
In this edition of "Presenting the Facts", we explore John Adams, the 2008 HBO miniseries. The miniseries was based on the book of the same name by David McCullough; the screenplay was by Kirk Ellis, and it was directed by Tom Hooper. With one exception...

September Highlight: The Declaration and the Constitution

News
When the engrossed parchment copies of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were installed at the National Archives on December 15, 1952, President Harry S. Truman connected the two documents as follows: “Everyone who holds...