Things You Didn't Learn in School

Very much from the 'Truth is Stranger Than Fiction' category. The curious case of Benjamin Franklin. No author in their right mind would create a character like this. He is rags to riches. He is a stable-boy statesman. He knew how to manipulate the high politics of Europe and how to curse like a sailor. His writings inspired the very identity of the United States of America, and dragged in the gutters to the point that Playboy would think twice before publishing some of his articles. 
If an author takes away any one point from reading books about or by this founding father it might be that there really is no upper limit to how outrageous you can make a character and still have it be believable.