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An American Celebrity in France

Clip: Episode 2 | 4m 37sVideo has Closed Captions

Benjamin Franklin arrived in France, hoping to win French support for the Revolution.

In 1776, people in France had never heard of any American, except for Benjamin Franklin. Congress sent Franklin to Paris to win foreign support for the American Revolution, and the French people treated him like a celebrity when he arrived. But Franklin had serious business to attend to. Without aid from the French monarchy, America’s fight for independence might be lost quickly.

04/04/2022

FromKen Burns

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Episodes presented in 4K UHD on supported devices. Corporate funding for BENJAMIN FRANKLIN was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by David M. Rubenstein. Major funding was...

Compromise and the Constitution of the United States

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Clip: Ep2 | 6m 36s | As impasse threatened the Constitutional Convention, Franklin appealed for Compromise. (6m 36s)

The Declaration of Independence

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Clip: Ep2 | 3m 17s | Franklin made a pivotal edit to Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence. (3m 17s)

Franklin and Adams: Rivals on the Same Diplomatic Mission

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Clip: Ep2 | 4m 3s | Franklin and Adams frustrated each other in France with opposing approaches to diplomacy. (4m 3s)

Franklin and the Antislavery Movement

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Clip: Ep2 | 7m 5s | Late in life, Franklin petitioned Congress to end slavery in the United States. (7m 5s)

Franklin Hears About Washington’s Victory at Yorktown

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Clip: Ep2 | 2m 39s | A month after the end of the battle, Franklin finally got the news from Yorktown. (2m 39s)

The Franklins Choose Opposing Sides in the Revolution

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Clip: Ep2 | 2m 26s | The American Revolution tore families apart, including the Franklins. (2m 26s)

The Treaty of Paris, 1783

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Clip: Ep2 | 4m 20s | The Treaty of Paris ended a war, secured Independence and created an Empire. (4m 20s)

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Episodes presented in 4K UHD on supported devices. Corporate funding for BENJAMIN FRANKLIN was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by David M. Rubenstein. Major funding was...

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