Benjamin Franklin was a proud citizen of America all his life. And a proud subject of the British Empire. Until he wasn’t.

Under British rule Franklin prospered as a printer, newspaper publisher, and writer.

• He served in the Pennsylvania Assembly that made laws for the colony.

• He led campaigns to build the first college, library, hospital, and fire department for Philadelphians.

• He even proposed a closer political union of Britain and its American colonies to create a stronger Empire.

But when the British Parliament began chipping away at the colonies’ rights to govern themselves, Americans rebelled. At first Franklin used all his wit and wisdom to patch up the quarrel. When that failed, his dream of a stronger Empire died.

But a new dream was born—an independent America.

Gretchen Woelfle uses Franklin’s witty and wise words to portray Benjamin Franklin’s long winding road to revolution.