Star search: how has the road to fame changed over the centuries?

• Position: Chronology - Brief article

1776

Ben Franklin

A diplomat, scientist, and publisher, Franklin became America's first international celebrity during the American Revolution.

1852

Harriet Beecher Stowe

Stowe's anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin, took the world by storm and helped bring on the Civil War.

1915

Charlie Chaplin

Silent films, the first visual mass medium, made Chaplin a global star.

1984

Madonna

Madonna's MTV videos launched her to stardom, showing the power of a cable TV network targeted to young people.

2007

Justin Bieber

The Web's first music...