Character analysis
Benjamin Franklin
in The Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Franklin was one of the five members of the Committee of Five, chosen by the Second Continental Congress to draft a formal declaration of independence from Britain. At the time the Declaration was written in 1776, Franklin was the oldest member of the committee, contributing decades of diplomatic experience, scientific knowledge, and political savvy to the revolutionary effort. While Thomas Jefferson took on the main drafting responsibilities, Franklin's involvement added significant credibility and intellectual weight to the document—his respected status in both the American colonies and European courts communicated to the world that the decision to break from Britain was a thoughtful, legitimate action rather than a hasty rebellion.
Franklin's role in the context of the Declaration is one of culmination: a lifelong subject of the British Crown who had previously sought reconciliation, he ultimately supports the bold move for complete separation. His place on the committee signifies the shift of a generation of colonial loyalists into dedicated revolutionaries. Known for his pragmatism, wit, and persuasive skills—qualities that may not be directly evident in the Declaration's text—he influenced the discussions and revisions that surrounded it. Franklin's readiness to put his voice aside for Jefferson's draft demonstrates his collaborative spirit and his belief that unity among the delegates was more important than individual authorship. His support for the document's Enlightenment principles—natural rights, self-evident truths, and government by consent—reflects his own philosophical writings and experiments in self-governance.
Connected characters
- Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson is the primary drafter of the Declaration, and Franklin serves as his senior committee colleague and reviser. Franklin's light editorial touches on Jefferson's draft—most famously changing 'sacred and undeniable' truths to 'self-evident' truths—demonstrate his rhetorical precision and mentorship role. He supports Jefferson's authorship while lending it elder-statesman authority.
- John Adams
Adams and Franklin are the two most prominent figures on the Committee of Five. Adams championed Jefferson as drafter and worked alongside Franklin to shepherd the document through congressional debate. Their shared commitment to independence unites them despite differing temperaments—Adams passionate and blunt, Franklin measured and diplomatic.
- Roger Sherman
Sherman is a fellow committee member whose Puritan pragmatism complements Franklin's Enlightenment rationalism. Both men bring legitimacy to the committee from different regional and ideological traditions, and their joint endorsement signals broad colonial consensus for the Declaration.
- Robert R. Livingston
Livingston serves alongside Franklin on the Committee of Five, representing the middle colonies. Franklin's seniority and prestige help unify committee members like Livingston, whose own colony (New York) was among the most hesitant about full independence.
- King George III
Franklin's relationship with the Crown is one of the Declaration's most poignant subtexts. Once a loyal subject who spent years in London seeking reconciliation, Franklin's endorsement of the Declaration's long list of grievances against King George III marks his definitive personal and political rupture with British authority.
- The British Parliament
Franklin had previously petitioned and negotiated with Parliament on behalf of the colonies. His ultimate rejection of parliamentary sovereignty, embodied in his signing onto the Declaration, underscores how thoroughly Britain's legislative body had, in the colonists' view, forfeited its legitimacy over American affairs.
- The American People (Colonists)
Franklin is perhaps the colonist most recognizable to the world as a symbol of American ingenuity and virtue. His commitment to the Declaration gives the American people a figure of universal respect behind their cause, and the document's assertion of rights he endorses speaks directly to the freedoms he had championed throughout his public life.