Final answer:
Benjamin Franklin set new standards in character development, philanthropy, and diplomacy. He defined virtues, established institutions, and played key roles in colonial unity, negotiations, and the Declaration of Independence.
Step-by-step explanation:
Benjamin Franklin set a new standard in many areas, including character development, philanthropy, and diplomacy. He defined thirteen virtues to guide his countrymen in maintaining a virtuous republic, established a reading library, founded the American Philosophical Society, helped establish the University of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Hospital, and became the U.S. Ambassador to France. Franklin also played key roles in advocating for colonial unity, negotiating the Treaty of Paris, and writing the Declaration of Independence.