About this episode

The episode discusses Benjamin Franklin's diplomatic mission to France during the American Revolution with guest Mike Duncan.

As we take a mid-summer-post-4th-of-July break, we are bringing you some of our favorite episodes from the archives about the Revolutionary era. We'll be back with new "50 Weeks That Shaped America" episodes soon! It’s October 4th. In 1776, Benjamin Franklin is headed to France as the Continental Congress’s first diplomat, looking to secure support for the American independence movement. Jody and Kellie are joined by Mike Duncan, history podcaster behind series such as “Revolutions” and “The Fall of Rome.” They discuss Franklin’s diplomatic goal, his taste for the Parisian nightlife — and why the values of the Founding Fathers continue to be contested and politicized. Check out Mike’s book “ Hero of Two Worlds .” Join our America250 newsletter community ! Subscribe for free to get the latest news and analysis of how America250 is playing out. Paying subscribers get access to early, ad-free versions of the show. Plus bonus features throughout the year. To support our work and get access to everything, subscribe now . This Day is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Your support helps foster independent, artist-owned podcasts and award-winning stories. If you want to support the…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jody Avirgan, Kellie

Guest: Mike Duncan

Topics covered

• American independence
• Benjamin Franklin
• diplomacy
• Revolutionary era
• French support
• Founding Fathers

Keywords

• Franklin
• diplomacy
• Revolutionary War
• France
• American history
• independence
• politics

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Continental Congress, Radiotopia

Books & works: Hero of Two Worlds

More episodes of This Day (An America 250 History Show)

• A Declaration Abstention w/ John Dickerson (Revolutionary Rerun) · July 21, 2026 · 14 min
• Lexington, Concord, and Menotomy? (Revolutionary Rerun) · July 16, 2026 · 16 min
• Liberty Trees (Revolutionary Rerun) · July 14, 2026 · 25 min
• Ben Franklin's ALMANACK (Revolutionary Rerun) · July 12, 2026 · 18 min
• A Show We Love: "The Rest Is History" on George Washington · July 8, 2026 · 1h 13m
• Mid-Year Mailbag w/ Jody, Niki, and Kellie · July 5, 2026 · 41 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the This Day (An America 250 History Show) podcast page.