About this season
Explore the revolutionary life of one of the 18th century’s most consequential and compelling personalities, whose work and words unlocked the mystery of electricity and helped create the United States.
Episodes (2)
E1
1. Join or Die (1706-1774)
7.5Aired 4 April 2022 • 116 min
After building a printing empire in Philadelphia with his wife Deborah, Benjamin Franklin gains worldwide fame from electricity experiments, then spends years in London trying to keep Britain and America together as his family comes apart.
E2
2. An American (1775-1790)
7.5Aired 5 April 2022 • 115 min
In wartime Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin helps Thomas Jefferson craft the Declaration of Independence. In Paris, he wins French support for the American Revolution. Back home, he works on the Constitution of the new United States.