Benjamin
Franklin never held a nationally elected office, but greatly helped shape the
American Revolution and the newly created nation, and is often hailed as "The
First American." A true Renaissance man, Franklin's accomplishments range from
running a successful newspaper, to helping create one of the nation's first hospitals,
libraries and philosophical societies, fire companies and fire insurance funds,
to inventing bifocals, the Franklin stove, swimming flippers, and the lighting
rod. He gained international fame for his discoveries about electricity, and served
as minister to France and the nation's first Postmaster General. His diplomacy
before the Revolution helped convince England to repeal the hated Stamp Act, which
made him a national hero . Although Thomas Jefferson wrote much of the Declaration
of Independence, much of the content was supplied by Franklin. Benjamin Franklin
also became one of the nation's first abolitionists, writing strongly against
slavery.
