06 October, 2010

Benjamin Franklin

Posting a couple of photos from our trip to Philadelphia last year for my small American Lit. class ~

The Library Company of Philadelphia (by Benjamin Franklin), America's first library
also served as the Library of Congress from the Revolutionary War period to 1800. It was America's largest public library until the 1850's .

The American Philosophical Society grew out of two groups which originally began as the Junto (a group started by Benjamin Franklin), and another group called "the American Society for Promoting Useful Knowledge." When they joined forces, their new name became "The American Philosophical Society Held at Philadelphia for Promoting Useful Knowledge". Benjamin Franklin was elected its first president.

This group of men would meet together weekly to discuss the intellectual, business, personal, commercial and community topics popular in his day. The building where they met (pictured below) is right by Constitutional Hall.


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