The American Revolution was not merely a war for independence but an ongoing argument about the very definition of possibility, who counts as part of the nation, and the right of ordinary people to control their own lives, filmmaker Ken Burns said. In a reflection on his PBS series "The American Revolution," Burns highlighted that the founders envisioned a nation where the concept of liberty would be continually debated and expanded.
"Everybody, on every side, including people denied even the ownership of themselves, had the sense of possibility worth fighting for," Burns quoted historian Jane Kamensky. This sense of possibility, he explained, challenged the historical norm where most individuals were subjects, not citizens. The American experiment began with a radical idea: that governmental legitimacy could stem from the people, not from a monarch.
Initially, this promise was limited, primarily to white men with property. However, the language of liberty, once introduced, proved difficult to contain. As more individuals, including teenagers and those without property, contributed to and fought in the Revolution, they asserted their claim to the "blessings of liberty" alongside the elites.
Benjamin Franklin, in particular, embodied this American ideal of possibility. Unlike the Virginia gentry like Thomas Jefferson, Franklin was born in Boston to humble beginnings as the son of a candlemaker. He pursued a path of self-invention, becoming a printer, publisher, scientist, and inventor. Franklin's civic contributions extended to building libraries, hospitals, and fire departments, underscoring his belief that private ambition should be paired with public obligation.
His famous "Join, or Die" cartoon, predating independence, served as a critical argument for the necessity of union, a concept essential for both the Revolution's success and the nation's enduring strength. Burns drew a parallel to contemporary America, noting a present-day climate of distrust and cynicism where discussions often focus on rights more than obligations.
"Franklin would have recognized that danger immediately," Burns stated. He emphasized Franklin's understanding that democracy requires active citizenship, continuous improvement, and virtues like reading, arguing, serving, and compromising. Republics falter, he warned, when people abdicate their role in politics.
Franklin's own life exemplified the nation's complex moral struggle, not its purity. While he initially owned enslaved people, he evolved over time, eventually becoming president of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society and submitting anti-slavery petitions to Congress. This evolution illustrates that the founders were complex, imperfect individuals whose stories are marked by moral conflict.
At the Constitutional Convention in 1787, the elderly Franklin played a key role in forging compromises that, while establishing a framework for self-government, also preserved the institution of slavery. This highlights the Constitution as both a magnificent achievement and a morally compromised document. Yet, even in this context, Franklin demonstrated a belief in the capacity of flawed humans to build durable institutions.
Franklin's suggestion to change Jefferson's phrase from "sacred and undeniable" to "self-evident" in the Declaration of Independence transformed liberty from a theological concept to a democratic one. "Self-evident" implies a demand for recognition based on reason, making rights accessible to all, even when equality itself is not immediately apparent. This principle echoes the stance of Frederick Douglass, who, despite condemning national hypocrisy, insisted on holding the nation accountable to its founding principles.
Burns concluded that the founders, including Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin, were not asking for veneration but for future generations to continue their "argument." This means actively working to broaden the definition of "We the People" and fulfilling the initial, partially realized vision of liberty for all. As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, the founders' legacy serves as a mirror, prompting reflection on how to build upon America's potential and make it better.