Benjamin Franklin, the most distinguished scientific and literary American of his
age, was the first American diplomat.
Benjamin Franklin
He served from 1776 to 1778 on a three-man commission to France charged with the
critical task of gaining French support for American independence. French
aristocrats and intellectuals embraced Franklin as the personification of the
New World Enlightenment. His likeness appeared on medallions, rings, watches,
and snuffboxes, while fashionable ladies adopted the coiffure a la Franklin in
imitation of the fur cap he wore instead of a wig. His popularity and diplomatic
skill--along with the first American battlefield success at Saratoga--convinced
France to recognize American independence and conclude an alliance with the
thirteen states in 1778. Franklin presented his credentials to the French court
in 1779, becoming the first American Minister (the 18th American century
equivalent of ambassador) to be received by a foreign government. Franklin’s
home in Passy, just outside Paris, became the center of American diplomacy in
Europe. When Thomas Jefferson succeeded Franklin in 1785, the French Foreign
Minister, Vergennes asked: "It is you who replace Dr. Franklin?" Jefferson
replied, "No one can replace him, Sir; I am only his successor."
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