Franklin’s discoveries soon led to world fame and honors. For many years, Franklin was the only American ever to receive awards from both the Royal Society of Arts and the French Academy of Sciences.

Franklin’s admission to the Royal Society of Arts came about after members of the society read his 'Proposal for Promoting Useful Knowledge among the British Plantations in America'. This paper, which stimulated the foundation of the American Philosophical Society, was read to a meeting of the Royal Society of Arts in June 1755. It was "judged to be excellent Design if it can be put in practice".