To the Future, Ben Franklin! by Mary Pope Osborne & AG Ford

Author:Mary Pope Osborne & AG Ford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2019-07-08T16:00:00+00:00

Jack took a deep breath. Now he fully understood their mission: they must get Doctor Benjamin Franklin to sign the Constitution of the United States.

Morgan had written:

In Old Philadelphia,

A paper must be signed.

Help Doctor Ben

Make up his mind.

Jack looked at Annie to see if she understood. She nodded.

“What is everyone arguing about?” Annie asked Ben.

“Some want a strong central government,” said Ben, “and others do not. Some are not even sure democracy can work. Can we trust our citizens to rule themselves? Do we need a king? Will the small states have the same power as the big states? My greatest concern, though, is slavery. We must end it! But I fear that will not happen now.”

“Oh, that’s terrible,” said Annie.

“Indeed, it is. On the other hand, there is a great need for a central government,” said Ben. “We have no way to collect taxes. We have no way to select leaders.” Ben took a deep breath. “I have almost lost hope, my friends. I fear we will never be one nation.”

“Really?” said Jack. “Never?”

Ben shook his head. “I just do not see how we can come to a fair agreement.” He sighed, then yawned. He closed his eyes. In the next moment, his head fell to the side, and he started to snore.

“Oh, man, this is serious,” Jack whispered to Annie. “If he doesn’t sign the Constitution, I’ll bet others won’t, either. And without the Constitution, our country will never come together.”

“Let’s look at Morgan’s note,” said Annie.

Jack reached into his backpack and pulled out their rhyme. He read the last two stanzas:

Listen to his thoughts.

If his fears start to grow

And he loses all hope,

There’s a place he must go.

’Tis a land filled with things

You see every day.

But these everyday wonders

Will show him the way.

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