Benjamin Franklin: Biography and 12 Major Accomplishments

by World History Edu · July 3, 2019

Benjamin Franklin’s Achievements during the American Revolution

Franklin always believed that service to people was the most important virtue an individual could have. So, after spending a decade or so in the lab, Franklin decided to serve his state. In 1751, he got elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly.

In a meeting at Albany, New York in 1754, Franklin proposed a plan that called for unity among all the American colonies. Unfortunately his proposal was not taking seriously.

In 1757, his assembly dispatched him as a representative of the Pennsylvania in London. During his time in London, Benjamin sought for ways to improve the relationship between the British Parliament and the American colonies. His lengthy testimony in parliament helped repeal the very contentious Stamp Act of 1765. From then onward, Benjamin would spend a significant amount of his time in London.

Continental Congress Delegate and the Declaration of Independence

In 1775, he returned to America. And in May, 1775, Benjamin Franklin was elected as a Pennsylvania delegate to the Second Continental Congress. In Congress, he worked on several issues. He was part of the Five-man Committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence in 1776 (the other four members of the committee were: Thomas Jefferson -Virginia delegate; Roger Sherman- Connecticut delegate; John Adams – Massachusetts delegate; and Robert R. Livingston-New York delegate).

Minister to France

Taking cognizant of his astute skills and flare for diplomacy, Congress dispatched Benjamin Franklin as minister to France. He was tasked with securing both political and economic support from France. He brilliantly carried out his duties by building a solid reputation in the political and royal courts of France. In 1778, he successfully secured an alliance with France (the 1778 Treaty of Alliance) in order help advance the colonies’ pursuit of independence.

1783 Treaty of Paris

Benjamin rallied his fellow Founding Fathers in the development of an efficient federal government. He was very instrumental in the development and drafting of the Articles of Confederation, which became the first U.S. Constitution as it was ratified in 1787. Prior to that, in 1783, Franklin was the leader of the American delegation that signed the 1783 Treaty of Paris. This meant that he is the only American to have signatures on all four important documents of the United States- the Declaration of Independence; the Treaty of Alliance with France; the Paris Treaty of 1783; and the Constitution of the United States in 1787.