Ben Franklin warned of the need for unity among the colonists as they declared independence in 1776. He was a keen observer. His wit and his intelligence had made him respected and successful, and he ...

You might imagine the Declaration of Independence as a piece of parchment under glass, but in 1776, it was breaking news.

Today, we celebrate the towering life and legacy of Benjamin Franklin—printer and philosopher, inventor and diplomat, public servant and patriot, and one of the most consequential Americans to ever ...