Why did Franklin go to Europe?

Franklin served from 1776 to 1778 on a commission to France charged with the critical task of gaining French support for American independence. French aristocrats and intellectuals embraced Franklin as the personification of the New World Enlightenment.

Did Benjamin Franklin go to Europe?

On October 26, 1776, exactly one month to the day after being named an agent of a diplomatic commission by the Continental Congress, Benjamin Franklin sets sail from Philadelphia for France, with which he was to negotiate and secure a formal alliance and treaty.

How did Ben Franklin travel to Europe?

He sailed for London on November 7, 1764 and arrived there on December 10. This time he stayed in London for eleven years representing the colonists of Pennsylvania before the King! He later also becomes representative to the King from the colonies of Massachusetts, New Jersey and Georgia.

Why was Franklin so beloved in France?

Admired by the French for his experiments with electricity, inventions and for his charming and humble personality, Franklin was a natural choice as ambassador. Even though he was not fluent in French and his grammar was not perfect the French complemented him.

Why did Benjamin Franklin move to England?

In 1724, under his advice, Franklin traveled to London to purchase equipment and establish business relations. He spent 18 months in Britain acquiring skills that helped him build his fortune and reputation in America.

Alan Franklin on the Sign of the European Union

When did Benjamin Franklin go to Europe?

Franklin served from 1776 to 1778 on a commission to France charged with the critical task of gaining French support for American independence. French aristocrats and intellectuals embraced Franklin as the personification of the New World Enlightenment.

Why did Benjamin Franklin sail to England and France?

On this day in 1776, one month to the day after the Continental Congress had named him ambassador to the court of Louis XVI, Benjamin Franklin, at age 70, sailed from Philadelphia for Paris with the goal of negotiating a formal alliance between France and the rebellious British colonies across the Atlantic.

What did Benjamin Franklin love the most?

Franklin's love of reading prompted his father to apprentice him to James, an older brother with a printing shop. Franklin was a quick study and soon mastered all aspects of the trade.

How old was Franklin when he sailed to France?

On this day in 1776, one month to the day after the Continental Congress named him ambassador to the court of King Louis XVI, Benjamin Franklin, at age 70, set sail from Philadelphia for Paris with the mission of helping to negotiate a formal alliance between France and the rebellious British colonies in North America.

What was Franklin able to get from France?

But in his lifetime, Franklin apparently didn't get much public recognition from Congress for his efforts in France. “For having extracted the equivalent of $13 billion dollars today and the bulk of the gunpowder used in the Revolution, Franklin went to his grave without any thanks whatever from Congress.

How many years did Franklin spend in Europe?

Ironically, this prototypical American, himself a national symbol, spent not only two years of his youth as a printer's apprentice in London between 1724 and 1726, but also nearly twenty-five years of his most active life in an exile of service, a stretch of time during which the country struggled toward a definition ...

Why did Ben Franklin and John Adams go to France?

During the Revolutionary War, Adams and Franklin worked together in Paris to obtain French support for the American cause, sometimes clashing on how best to do so. And they successfully negotiated peace with Great Britain.

How long did Benjamin Franklin live in Europe?

For the greater part of his appointment, he lived in England (from 1757 to 1762, and again from 1764 to 1774)—about three-quarters of his term.

What role did Benjamin Franklin play in Europe during the American Revolutionary War?

In October 1776, Franklin was assigned the duty of Ambassador to France. To beat the British, the colonist needed European aid, and it was Franklin's mission to convince France to help the United States.

What did Ben Franklin say about the French Revolution?

“Much Blood May be Shed Ere Liberty be Firmly Established”: Benjamin Franklin Bache Defends the French Revolution, 1792–93.

Where did Benjamin Franklin arrive in France?

Benjamin Franklin in Versailles

On 3 December 1777 three American plenipotentiaries arrived in France: the renowned statesman and physicist Benjamin Franklin and the diplomats Silas Deane and Arthur Lee.

How long did Franklin stay in Paris?

Benjamin Franklin, an inventor, a politician, a scientist, a writer, a diplomat, lived 9 years in Paris in the second half of the 1700-s. He is extremely popular, respected and beloved by French upscale society. He was given the nickname, “le sage de Boston”, which translates to “the wise man from Boston.”

How long did it take to sail from America to France in 1776?

Ocean Voyage

Poor immigrants travelled to America on ships that were making their return voyage after having carried tobacco or cotton to Europe. The voyage took between 40 and 90 days, depending on the wind and weather.

Could the US have won the Revolutionary War without France?

Foreign aid and military assistance

America could never have won the war without France, and France could never have succeeded without Spain. Foreign aid to the Americans included cash, loans, weapons, gunpowder, tentage, uniforms, and other military equipment.

Why is Benjamin Franklin on the $100 dollar bill?

Franklin played a key role in building the nation. He was the most important founding father, he was the oldest and the one who had contributed the most to the cause of independence. Franklin signed the Treaty of Alliance with France, convincing the French government to support America against powerful Britain.

What was Benjamin Franklin's last great quote?

“I have the Honor to be with the greatest Esteem and Respect Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Servant,” Franklin said in his last letter. While the concept of a “death and taxes” quote existed before Franklin, the publication of his papers in 1817 made the proverb a staple in American popular culture.

Was Ben Franklin a flirt?

“With his many women admirers, he preferred flirting rather than making serious commitments, and he retreated into playful detachment at any sign of danger.”[2] But Benjamin Franklin still had his scandalous moments in life. He was a world famous celebrity, a babe magnet, and idolized as a rock star of his day.

Why did William Franklin remain loyal to the British?

University of Mississippi historian Sheila Skemp noted: "[William] did not abandon Benjamin, but Benjamin abandoned him." His Loyalist position was a reflection of his respect for benevolent authority which he felt was embodied by the British Crown, a view consistent with his father's earlier Anglophilia.

What did Benjamin Franklin say about the Treaty of Paris?

Treaty of Paris, 1783

Franklin insisted on British recognition of American independence and refused to consider a peace separate from France, America's staunch ally. Franklin did agree, however, to negotiations with the British for an end to the war.

Why didn't France want to join the Revolutionary War?

France was not directly interested in the conflict, but saw it as an opportunity to contest British power by supporting a new British opponent. Through negotiations conducted first by Silas Deane and then by Benjamin Franklin, France began covert support of the patriots' cause.