2006-07-11 09:07:42 · 14 answers · asked by Pete Allison 6 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Pete,
We became a country in 1776 or shortly there after Franklin was already 70 years old.
Has to the earlier post ,Franklin is not the only person on money who was not a president, Hamilton on the ten dollar bill was not president, he set up our monetary system and helped get our new nation going financially
2006-07-11 09:19:50 · answer #1 · answered by David 3 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Christian Chick.....have you never heard of Alexander Hamilton? I am pretty sure he is on a $20 and I am also pretty sure he was never a president (he was however the first Secretary of the Treasury).
As to good old Ben Franklin....he was 84 years old when we had our first election....also he was 84 when he died....I am not sure he supported George Washington....but he didn't run against him.
And by the way, George Washington did not have a political party either....he is the only president not to be affiliated with a party (Franklin was dead before we had political parties in the United States)
2006-07-11 11:35:44 · answer #2 · answered by mattlenny 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe because he was frightfully old for that period of time. He died at age 84. Not only that, but he was in pretty bad health. He desperately wanted to retire from politics but the colonial politicians needed his help too much. Franklin was in France trying to procure troops, money, and political support for the revolutionaries. They couldn't afford to let him retire. So, he stayed and did his duty. Upon return, the LAST thing he wanted to do was be president. He was lucky to make the boat trip as he feared he would die along the way.
2006-07-11 09:17:21 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
1) he was not just "too old" (83 when the Constitution was ratified), he DIED in 1790, when Washington --the one everyone knew would be the first President (the office was created with him in mind!)-- had been in office just over a year
2) had he been around long enough (and been healthy enough) he would not have run for President, because in the early years of the Republic one did not "run" for the office. The ideal at the time (and long after) was that one did not put oneself forward for or personally campaign for this honor -- it was to come to him
2006-07-11 16:59:20 · answer #4 · answered by bruhaha 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Ben Franklin was never affiliated with a political party! Good question.
2006-07-11 09:10:42 · answer #5 · answered by Collin R 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because he was smart and didn't want the hassles of the presidency. And he wasn't the only non-president on a bill, Salmon P. Chase is on the $10,000 bill.
2006-07-11 09:29:04 · answer #6 · answered by dragonmomof3 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He made several contributions both to society and the government. He was a foreign Ambassador for many years as well. Always busy.
2006-07-11 09:13:50 · answer #7 · answered by aggie_boyscout 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He was very old during the Revolution. He was ambassador to France when he was like 80.
2006-07-11 16:01:30 · answer #8 · answered by mjtpopus 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Age was a factor. Also, his personal life would not have held up under even the most casual scrutiny.
2006-07-11 09:31:53 · answer #9 · answered by lcraesharbor 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He was too honest, despite the fact he had mistresses in Paris. In order to be a politician, even then you had to be crooked.
2006-07-11 10:19:30 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋