Franklin became internationally famous for his experiments on electricity. When he traveled to England and France as a colonial diplomat, his renown preceded him. He called upon heads of state, mingled in elite society, and conversed with men of science.
In 1757, Franklin traveled to England, where he would spend sixteen of the next eighteen years. He was a strong supporter of the British Empire until heavy taxes and trade restrictions were imposed on the colonies in the 1760s and 1770s. Franklin returned to Philadelphia in 1775, and by the next year was among those leading the struggle for independence. |
In the fall of 1776, Franklin left for Europe again, this time to solicit financial help from France for the colonies’ war against England. Immediately popular in French high society, the 71-year-old statesman skillfully convinced a doubtful Louis XVI to support the American cause.
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