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Benjamin Franklin: An Influential Figure In The American Revolution

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Benjamin Franklin was a known figure in the American Revolution. He was a scientist, inventor, printer, and publisher. When he grew up he became the only man to sign “the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Treaty of the Alliance with France (1778), the Treaty of Paris establishing peace with Great Britain (1783) and the U.S. Constitution (1787)”(history.com). All of four of these documents help establish America, and he helped with each of them. Benjamin Franklin was an influential figure in United States History, and it all starts with the first Continental Congress. The first continental congress was made of up of delegates from every colony except Georgia. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, John Hancock, George Washington were among these delegates chosen to represent their colony. They were gathered to talk about the newly imposed Coercive Acts …show more content…

The battles of Lexington and Concord mark the beginning of the war. In June of 1775 the congress created the colonial fighting force, known as the Continental Army, and also naming the Commander in Chief, George Washington. In the same month they sent King George a personal appeal, called the Olive Branch Petition, asking him to help settle the colonist differences with Britain. King George quickly denied the request. During this Congress they began to think of about possibly a Declaration of Independence; there was a committee in charge of this with members Thomas Jefferson, the writer of the Declaration of Independence, including John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. On July 4th 1776, after many revisions, congress voted to approve the Declaration of Independence. Right before signing the Declaration of Independence, Franklin said, "We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately” (ushistory.org). If they didn’t win the war they would be guilty of treason, and

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