“Were I a Roman Catholic, perhaps I should on this occasion vow to build a chapel to some saint, but as I am not, if I were to vow at all, it should be to build a light-house.[Letter to his wife, 17 July 1757, after narrowly avoiding a shipwreck; often misquoted as "Lighthouses are more helpful than churches."]”

A polymath and Founding Father of the United States, Benjamin Franklin’s career spanned politics, science, and publishing. He is best known for his contributions to early American democracy, including the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, as well as his pioneering work in electricity and his influential writings on self-improvement. His wit and practical philosophy remain widely influential today.