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There may not have been a single, particular moment when Franklin became a revolutionary. Probably his feelings changed gradually. That said, Franklin's humiliation in front of his British colleagues might have been the defining moment. He was deeply hurt and disillusioned. He may have concluded once and for all that the British could not and would not understand America and Americans. He may have decided that America was better off without its mother country. He may have decided, for good, that he would support independence.

We cannot know for sure, as Franklin never publicly lashed out at his critics. He stayed in London for another year, trying to help Britain and the colonies reach a compromise. He seemed pessimistic, though. His essays grew more critical of the British, more sarcastic and bitter. After he finally gave up and went home, he sprang into action and instantly became–at the age of sixty- nine–one of the most radical revolutionary leaders. Though Franklin carefully guarded his inner feelings from the public, we can only assume that he was deeply, personally disappointed in Britain.

Another aspect of Franklin's life during this time deserves mention. In 1774, his wife Deborah died in Philadelphia. She had not seen Franklin in a decade. He would have brought her to London with him, but she was afraid of crossing the ocean. Instead, she waited for years to see her husband again–and never did. Historians have wondered how close Benjamin and Deborah were. The two were very different: he was a brilliant scientist and diplomat; she was uneducated and unworldly. Franklin loved her dearly and insisted on being buried with her, but his long separation from her suggests that their relationship was distant. Franklin never got too close to anyone; he was always on the move, always socializing, always leading some new project or writing a new essay. He probably was not the best husband and family man.

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