I agree. Without his statesmanship, the American colonies might evolve into another part of Canada. For whatever industrialization happens, it will be very much centered on the OTL Great Lakes States plus Ontario and Quebec. Scientifically, much might be delayed. What might Faraday do without Franklin's groundwork?This would be an enormous POD, because it's hard to overstate Benjamin Franklin's impact on the creation of America, not just as a nation but as a society. His scientific achievements are actually underrated by historians; his early death would significantly set back understanding of electricity, which in turn sets backs the discovery of electromagnetism and much of 20th Century science.