There is no better way to understand a nation than to walk in the footsteps of those who helped to create her. And for those who want to know America — with all her faults, passions, quirks and customs — it helps to go back to the places where the very idea of this ever-changing nation was born. One of those locations is Philadelphia, located on the banks of the Delaware River in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Now home to some 1.5 million residents — with another 4 million in the surrounds — Philadelphia reflects the ideals that can be found in most American cities: a love of sports (the town has eight professional sports teams), good food, a strong arts culture and thriving businesses. The locals have their own distinct, street-wise accent (remember “Rocky” in the classic movie about the Philadelphia boxer?) and they’re known for their frank, straight-forward manner.

The fifth-largest city in the United States, Philadelphia is a town for every person, no matter their race, status or religion — and it’s been this way since the city’s founding in 1682 by Quaker Englishman William Penn. In fact, Penn named his new town “Philadelphia,” which was derived from the Greek words meaning “city of brotherly love,” in honor of his goals for the new city.

And if ever a community has put its stamp on the face of American history, Philadelphia is it. The East Coast town was a hotbed of activity during America’s struggle for independence from Britain, with the likes of Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and John Adams walking her streets.

Benjamin Franklin (played here by actor Ralph Archbold) is considered one of the greatest public figures in the history of the United States. Until his death in 1790, he served the fledgling colonies as a printer, scientist, journalist, inventor and businessman.

On July 4, 1776, those same rebels signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, which is now a museum. The famous Liberty Bell, which was rung to announce the declaration’s adoption, now resides in its own pavilion at Independence National Historical Park, a site visited by thousands of tourists each year.

Yet there was one man who stood at the center of all these nation-changing activities: Ben Franklin. An inventor, publisher, statesman and signer of the Declaration of Independence, Franklin wore many hats, and influenced the city — and the United States — in ways that are still obvious today.

The young boy who came to Philadelphia at 17 as a printer’s apprentice invented bifocals, the lightning rod, swim fins and the flexible catheter. He charted the Gulf Stream currents, and developed new community services such as one of the first fire protection programs in Philadelphia and the colonies’ first insurance company.

He came up with the colonies’ first philosophical society, the first public lending library, and was elected president of a group promoting the abolition of slavery. Franklin was a passionate spokesman for uniting the colonies, and he eventually became one of the rare American diplomats who was beloved by the French. In fact, his passionate words helped the colonists gain the military support of King Louis XVI during the American Revolution.

A man far ahead of his time, the outgoing Franklin was an occasional vegetarian who drank more water than beer, and a man who followed spiritual paths of his own. He was a pillar of strength to the struggling colonies, painting a vision for the nation they would one day become.

On January 17, 2006, this American overachiever turns 300 — and Philadelphia is throwing a humdinger of a party for its favorite son. The Ben Franklin 300 Philadelphia festivities run through summer 2006.