Rise and Fall of William Franklin

It was Benjamin Franklin’s illegitimate son, twenty-one-year-old William, who had helped with the famous kite experiment. The two were close, and the elder Franklin even used his influence to have William appointed Governor of New Jersey. But then came the Revolutionary War, and to Franklin’s dismay, his son sided with the enemy.

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History Shorts

Each day, award-winning historian and author Peter Zablocki shares his research into the little-known and hidden-in-plain-sight historical curiosities you probably never heard of. All in the little time you probably do not have.

• No. of episodes: 426
• Latest episode: 2025-05-15
• History

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