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Benjamin Franklin

Franklin and the Antislavery Movement

Late in life, Franklin petitioned Congress to end slavery in the United States.

Aired 04/04/2022

FromKen Burns

Benjamin Franklin

Franklin and the Antislavery Movement

Clip | 7m 5sVideo has Closed Captions

Late in life, Franklin petitioned Congress to end slavery in the United States.

Franklin, though a former slave owner, had joined the growing antislavery movement in Philadelphia. With the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery, he petitioned the new federal government to end slavery in the United States. Because of Franklin’s reputation, the petition was heard. But the House of Representatives voted it down, and the Senate tabled it without discussion.

Aired 04/04/2022

FromKen Burns

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Corporate funding for BENJAMIN FRANKLIN was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by David M. Rubenstein. Major funding was also provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the...

The Treaty of Paris, 1783

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Clip | 4m 20s | The Treaty of Paris ended a war, secured Independence and created an Empire. (4m 20s)

The Stamp Act

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Clip | 3m 46s | In 1765, England found a new way to raise money from the American colonies: The Stamp Act. (3m 46s)

Publicly Humiliated in London

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Clip | 6m 2s | Franklin, the most famous American in London, became the face of American resistance. (6m 2s)

Official Trailer

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Preview | 31s | Ken Burns explores the revolutionary life of Benjamin Franklin. (31s)

Franklin’s Observations and Experiments on Electricity

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Clip | 5m 31s | Franklin studied electricity and proved lightning’s electrical nature with a key and kite. (5m 31s)

Franklin’s Endlessly Quotable Poor Richard’s Almanack

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Clip | 4m 37s | Franklin’s popular "Poor Richard’s Almanack" offered an enduring brand of American humor. (4m 37s)

The Franklins Choose Opposing Sides in the Revolution

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Clip | 2m 26s | The American Revolution tore families apart, including the Franklins. (2m 26s)

Franklin Makes a Name for Himself as a Printer

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Clip | 3m 53s | Franklin’s first published essays were printed under a pseudonym—Silence Dogood. (3m 53s)

Franklin Hears About Washington’s Victory at Yorktown

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Clip | 2m 39s | A month after the end of the battle, Franklin finally got the news from Yorktown. (2m 39s)

Franklin Faces His Racial Prejudices

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Clip | 1m 58s | A visit to a school for Black children challenged Franklin’s racial prejudices. (1m 58s)

Franklin and the Antislavery Movement

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Clip | 7m 5s | Late in life, Franklin petitioned Congress to end slavery in the United States. (7m 5s)

Franklin and Slave Labor

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Clip | 1m 49s | Enslaved Philadelphia residents worked in businesses and homes, including Franklin’s. (1m 49s)

Franklin and Adams: Rivals on the Same Diplomatic Mission

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Clip | 4m 3s | Franklin and Adams frustrated each other in France with opposing approaches to diplomacy. (4m 3s)

The Declaration of Independence

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Clip | 3m 17s | Franklin made a pivotal edit to Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence. (3m 17s)

Compromise and the Constitution of the United States

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Clip | 6m 36s | As impasse threatened the Constitutional Convention, Franklin appealed for Compromise. (6m 36s)

Benjamin Franklin’s Theory of Colds

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Clip | 3m 3s | Franklin and Adams have to share a bedroom in a humorous scene not in the final film. (3m 3s)

Benjamin Franklin Invents the Glass Armonica

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Clip | 1m 55s | Franklin’s musical invention, the armonica, became a sensation in Europe. (1m 55s)

Benjamin Franklin House in London

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Clip | 5m 15s | This bonus scene features Benjamin Franklin House in London, his only surviving residence. (5m 15s)

Benjamin Franklin and Inoculation

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Clip | 6m 9s | This extended scene from BENJAMIN FRANKLIN includes bonus material not in the final film. (6m 9s)

Behind the Scenes | Exploring Benjamin Franklin

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Clip | 2m 2s | Get an inside look from Ken Burns on the making of Benjamin Franklin. (2m 2s)

An American Celebrity in France

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Clip | 4m 37s | Benjamin Franklin arrived in France, hoping to win French support for the Revolution. (4m 37s)

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Corporate funding for BENJAMIN FRANKLIN was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by David M. Rubenstein. Major funding was also provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the...

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