What Can We Learn from the Polymaths of Early America?

A digital image of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, key figures among the polymaths of early America

Figures like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Charles Willson Peale, and others were not limited to one profession or field. They were polymaths—individuals who worked across multiple disciplines, contributing meaningfully to science, politics, art, education, and more. In their time, the separation between fields was less rigid, allowing them to apply knowledge from one area to … Read more