Benjamin Franklin and the Invention of America

FAIN: BH-50212-07

Villanova University (Villanova, PA 19085-1478)
Marylu Hill (Project Director: March 2007 to May 2009)

Two one-week workshops for 80 school teachers on Benjamin Franklin's life and contributions to American civic character, with visits to relevant Philadelphia sites.

"Benjamin Franklin and the Invention of America" will provide an interdisciplinary approach to the various dimensions of Franklin as inventor. Through visits to important Philadelphia landmarks, workshops delivered by leading scholars, and seminars led by nationally recognized Franklin scholars, teachers will be introduced to a multidimensional Franklin - a Franklin who desired the melding of personal character and public innovation on uniquely American terms. Seminar participants will examine how Franklin attempted to bring science and mathematics into dialogue with the humanities and statecraft; they will consider the local, national, and international legacy of Franklin. They will explore and question Franklin's notion of civic virtue, and examine his character both as a self-made man and as an American mythical figure.