The Founding Fathers, Exposed

I am reading A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America

The British colonies along the coast of North America rebelled against their mother country. Declared war on her, without the means to conduct such a war.

George Washington was an officer in the British army in its wat against France. He also sold tobacco to the British from his estate in Virginia.

He now found himself in the strange position of having half of the officers in his army, half of his guns, and all of his gunpowder, supplied by the French!

Eventually, the French fleet blockaded American ports and ended the war. But that would come later.

For the time being, Americans were forced to accept French help without admitting they were doing so!

Franklin played the role of deceitful negotiator, to perfection. And fathered a number of children by French women at the same time (which he acknowledged as his own).

He was one of the key figures who defined what being an American was!