Benjamin Franklin and the First Balloons

In the summer of 1783, a restless Benjamin Franklin found time to chase a new marvel while serving as America’s minister in Paris. He wrote a series of lively letters to Sir Joseph Banks, sharing firsthand observations of the daring experiments that were lifting humanity for the first time. The correspondence, preserved in the scientist’s own hand, offers a rare glimpse of Franklin’s humor and curiosity as he juggles diplomatic duties with the thrill of invention.

The letters recount a spectacular ascent over the Champ de Mars, where a twelve‑foot silk‑coated globe—filled with “inflammable air” produced by a peculiar chemical reaction— rose before a crowd of fifty thousand spectators. Franklin describes the meticulous preparation, the moment the cord was cut, and the balloon’s graceful fade into the clouds, noting both the scientific wonder and the theatrical spectacle. Listeners will hear the excitement of those early days of aerial navigation, filtered through Franklin’s witty and observant voice.