Ben Franklin When one takes a look at the world in which he currently lives, he often sees it as being normal since it is so slow in changing. When a historian looks at the present, he sees the effects of many events and many wise people. Benjamin Franklin was one of these wise people. His participation in so many different fields changed the world immensely. He can be compared to Leonardo da Vinci, as his versatility is like that of a Renaissance Man. Benjamin Franklin was a Renaissance man of the 1700s. He was a noted politician as well as a respected scholar. Franklin also added as a civic leader and a musician. He was an important inventor and scientist. He helped to define the century.