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It goes a lot deeper than just Benjamin Franklin. Many of the men who founded this country are unknown (and unrecognized) by most Americans today. You could say the same things about Franklin's genius and his importance to the Republic as you could for James Madison and John Adams, just to name two. Unfortunately, for many of our fellow citizens these days, Britney Spears is more "relevant" (it makes me sick just to type a sentence like that!)
I would not say Ben Franklin is unknown. I have seen his image used in at least two different commercials in the last few months. I would assume high schools still teach that he was a Founding Father and that he flew a kite in an electrical storm. So I'd say everybody has a vague notion of him.
Now, do they go deep into the depths of the man and all his accomplishments? Probably not.
Another Franklin fact: there was a state named after him. In 1784, the eastern third of what is now Tennessee seceded, proclaiming itself the State of Franklin. This heady era of autonomy only lasted four years. C'est la vie!
There's also a department store chain named "Ben Franklin" that I used to patronize as a kid. Sam Walton got his start running a Ben Franklin, so indirectly, Ben Franklin is the father of wall mart too.
He had the best one liners, he must have been a great friend to have, sitting by a fire discussing mattres over a pint or 2.
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