Lived: 1706-1790 Renowned in the fields of physics, history, politics and literature, few could hope to leave a legacy as grand as that of Benjamin Franklin. As an inventor and scientist, Franklin's practical inventions and theoretical discoveries made him one of the most famous men of his era on either side of the Atlantic. Extensive were his writings, ranging from high politics to base bodily functions. And when the United States sought foreign aid in defeating their mother country, it was Franklin who traveled to France in order to secure the future of the revolutionary colony.