Benjamin Franklin - Our Lost Founding Archives

Richard Montgomery First National Memorial

Richard Montgomery and the First National Memorial

On this day in 1776, the Continental Congress authorizes the first national memorial of the Revolutionary War, in honor of Brigadier General Richard Montgomery. He was killed during in Quebec on December 31, 1775, where he was initially interred.

The monument, as seen below, is the first ever commissioned by the United States. Benjamin Franklin hired French sculptor Jean Jacques Caffieri to design and build the Montgomery memorial. Eventually, in 1787, it was installed in the front of St. Paul’s Chapel in Manhattan, where it remains today. Then, Montgomery’s remains were moved to St. Paul’s in 1818.

Interestingly, St. Paul’s was George Washington’s church during his time in New York as the United States’ first president in 1789.

The first memorial and the first president

So, the first memorial in the history of the United States was given a prominent place in a culturally and architecturally significant gathering place in New York City. Also, it’s where Our first president went to church.

January 25, 2020/0 Comments/by Our Lost Founding

Benjamin Franklin, Founding Fathers, State Constitution, The Common Thread of Our Lost Founding

Pennsylvania : Liberty and Convincing Proofs

On this day in 1787, Pennsylvania becomes the second state when it ratifies the U.S. Constitution, which, of course, was drafted in Philadelphia.

In fact, that ratifying convention also occurred at the Pennsylvania State House, which we now know as Independence Hall.

Liberty

Indeed, those delegates were inclined to “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,” as stated in the U.S. Constitution.
The text of the Preamble of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania makes that abundantly clear.

“PREAMBLE
WE, the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance, do ordain and establish this Constitution.”

“Convincing Proofs”

Though born in Boston, Benjamin Franklin was among those Pennsylvania delegates to the the Constitutional Convention. There, he urged the Assembly toward morning “prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on [their] deliberations.”
In so doing, he made the famous quote below, which inspired one of Our shirts.

“I have lived a long time, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?”

See it in Our shop:

Benjamin Franklin “See… God Governs”

December 12, 2019/0 Comments/by Our Lost Founding

American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin, Founding Documents, The Common Thread of Our Lost Founding

Benjamin Franklin Owns It

On this day in 1776, London’s St. James Chronicle announces that “The very identical Dr. Franklyn [Benjamin Franklin], whom Lord Chatham so much caressed, and used to say he was proud in calling his friend, is now at the head of the rebellion in North America.”

This confirmed Franklin’s position as an American leader, and he was instrumental in securing an the crucial alliance with France.

Cleverly crafting an argument for ratification of the newly written Constitution, Franklin wrote “A Comparison of the Conduct of the ancient JEWS, and of the ANTIFEDERALISTS in the United States of AMERICA.” He concluded it with this paragraph:

“I beg I may not be understood to infer, that our general convention was divinely inspired when it formed the new federal constitution, merely because that constitution has been unreasonably and vehemently opposed: yet, I must own, I have so much faith in the general government of the world by Providence, that I can hardly conceive a transaction of such momentous importance to the welfare of millions now existing, and to exist in the posterity of a great nation, should be suffered to pass without being in some degree influenced, guided, and governed by that omnipotent, omnipresent and beneficent Ruler, in whom all inferior spirits live, and move, and have their being.”

“Convincing Proofs”

He did “own” it. After all, it was Franklin who, in 1787, urged the Assembly at the Constitutional Convention toward morning “prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on [their] deliberations.” In so doing, he made this famous quote:

“I have lived a long time, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?”

Might we suggest that you “own” Our shirt commemorating that quote:

Benjamin Franklin “See… God Governs”

November 14, 2019/0 Comments/by Our Lost Founding

American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin, Founding Fathers, The Common Thread of Our Lost Founding, Thomas Jefferson

Exodus examples: “Command of the Deity” and the Ten Commandments

Let’s explore a couple Exodus examples from Our Lost Founding…

Command

First, below you’ll see Benjamin Franklin’s handwritten description (and transcription) of his Great Seal design suggestion from 1776. It describes the climactic events from the book of Exodus in the Bible; following the departure of Moses and the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, the once-parted Red Sea swallows up Pharaoh and his army.

This scene clearly speaks the motto “Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God” which Thomas Jefferson adopted for use in his own personal seal. That motto and his seal inspired Our TJ t-shirt.

Commandments

Later in Exodus, Moses receives the Ten Commandments from the finger of God on two stone tablet atop Mount Sinai. Those tablets are represented on the chamber doors of the Supreme Court as well as on the floor of the National Archives, as seen below.

August 23, 2019/0 Comments/by Our Lost Founding