Thomas Kidd: Benjamin Franklin and Enlightenment | BRI Scholar Talks

BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams will sit down with historian and author Thomas Kidd
to discuss his fascinating essay on the American Enlightenment and Benjamin Franklin in our
new digital history textbook, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Kidd touches on
everything from Franklin’s impressive printing and scientific exploits to his nuanced views
on education, religion, and civic virtue. He also explains the ways Franklin used his
determination to educate himself and others against the vibrant backdrop of the American Enlightenment.