Born in Boston, Massachusetts, January 17, 1706, he was born from his mother, Abiah Folger, to Josiah Franklin his father. The tenth son of a soap and candle maker, he was a part of Josiah’s second marriage and one of many children. His father’s first intention was for Benjamin to go into the church so he was sent to Boston Grammar School at the age of eight. It became too expensive and so he was sent to George Brownell’s school for writing and arithmetic. After that he finished formal education and he was put to work making candles. To prevent him from going to sea his father sent him to work for his brother James who was a printer (Franklin ix). Benjamin Franklin was a founding father that played many different roles in his life, a father, …show more content…
Though he is heavily praised he has quite a dubious past having fallen in love with his soon-to-be wife Deborah Read in Philadelphia but still moving to England and eventually having an affairs with women who were not single. He also had affairs with younger women even after he reached the age of 50 (Ecenbarger). The affairs were even after he went back to marry Deborah in Philadelphia, and became neglectful of her. With the knowledge of his unhealthy interactions with the women in his life, strangely enough Benjamin Franklin had several virtues he believed should be upheld and lived through, he made a behavioral construct to dictate how others should run their lives and behave. Of course the center of this was the idea to maintain a civil living, the virtues being written in his autobiography were: temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity, and humility. All in all Benjamin Franklin lived a full life of travel, busy work, politics, inventing, and loving. He was an important figure in history that was potentially vital in small and individual situations in the early states. He seemed to dictate other’s lives but when it came to whether he actually upheld his own values is proved to be in some parts dubious and in other parts clearly hypocritical on his
Gordon S. Wood delves into Benjamin Franklin’s philosophical, political, and personal legacies in the biography, The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin. The book travels through Franklin’s experiments, his travels in Europe, and his role in the American revolution. The book begins when Franklin retires from business and becomes a gentleman. It was when he became a gentleman, it allowed him to analyze the world around him. “Indeed, he could not drink a cup of tea without wondering why the tea leaves at the bottom gathered in way rather than another,” a quote from Edmund S. Morgan’s book, Benjamin Franklin. Franklin spent a great deal of time in Britain before returning to America. When he returned, he threw himself into the American revolution, which sent him to France. After he accomplished his duties in France, he returned back home to America where he ran for public office.
Benjamin Franklin was a remarkably talented man. He started his life as a printers apprentice, but went much farther then there. He developed things that were far more advanced than the time. Benjamin Franklin's stove for example, for cold winter nights, and bifocal lenses for reading. Franklin tracked storms to help understand the horrible weather endured by the colonies. But gis study of electricity made him mist famous and he was known world wide as the founder of the lightning rod. Not only was Benjamin Franklin helpful in developing ideas for better living, he was also a strong force in developing the new nation of America. Benjamin Franklins political views showed him to be a man who loved freedom and independence. His views towards England gradually changed from like to dislike until he finally
Benjamin Franklin is one of the most well-known men on earth! Everyone knows who he is, but not a lot of people have read about him. Mr. Franklin has an Autobiography that was published to us. In pages 411 through 417 of Benjamin Franklin Autobiography there is three topics Benjamin Franklin touches on when writing these five pages of his Autobiography. To begin with the first topic was about a library he opened up, the second topic he spoke about was about how he respects religion but doesn’t like religion controversy, and last but not least he wrote about thirteen virtues.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN'S religious creed held that the best service to God is to be good to man. He leaned to the views of the "Dissenters" of his day, notably Joseph Priestley and Richard Price, who preached a doctrine somewhat like present Unitarianism. A moralist, he taught that man's soul is immortal and that man's conduct in this world will determine his condition in the next; so he made a creed of virtue, based on integrity and good deeds-man must help himself and others.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a representation of the new prospect of upward mobility in colonial America during the 18th century and the development of the Age of Reason, which assisted in the conception of the idea of the “American Dream”; a dream that includes fundamentally social ideals such as democracy, equality, and material prosperity. Furthermore, Franklin’s autobiography exemplifies a significant shift in focus from religion to enlightenment and reason. Additionally, there were forces specific to Benjamin Franklin's Philadelphia, that played an important role in his perspectives and the changes that occurred within colonial America during the 18th century.
He was never a president of the United States, nor did he lead any army in a battle. He had no talent in public speaking, preferring to write out his thoughts on paper and for them to be read aloud by others. Yet in his day he was certainly one of the most well known celebrities, beloved in both the United States and through most of Europe. He is Benjamin Franklin, and he has become a symbol of American civilization.
In The Autobiography, Benjamin Franklin recounts the many paramount experiences throughout his life that shaped him into great American figure he was known to be. On the opening page, Franklin reveals the book’s epistolary format by writing, “Dear Son,” going on to admit that he’s made some mistakes in the past and to recollect that past is a way to relive it. By divulging his desire to “change some sinister Accidents & Events” (Franklin 3) the author indicates how important it is for his son to observe as he amends his mistakes. Pride, virtue and vanity play a pivotal role in Benjamin Franklin’s life and the way he portrays himself to others. Instances occur where the author is shown gloating about his great accomplishments and he puts emphasis on his need to live a virtuous and morally perfect life. Throughout his story, Benjamin Franklin tells his son of his many virtuous acts and momentous achievements, motivating the question as to whether he seeks his own approval more so than the approval of his peers.
Franklin was born on January 17, in Boston massachusetts. He lived in Philadelphia. There were 17 kids in the family and he was number 15 in the family. So he had a lot of siblings to deal with.His parents were Josiah Franklin and Abiah Folger. He attended Boston Latin High School and he didn’t go to college. Ben married Deborah Read. Ben and Deborah had 3 kids. They had one daughter and two sons. There Daughters
Benjamin Franklin stands tall among a small group of men we call our Founding Fathers. Ben used his diplomacy skills to serve his fellow countrymen. His role in the American Revolution was not played out on the battlefields, but rather in the halls and staterooms of governments. His clear vision of the way things should be, and his skill in both writing and negotiating, helped him to shape the future of the United States of America. His most important service was as a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Although it was not accepted, he is reported to have been the author of the single legislative Assembly, instead of two branches. Other statesmen have considered bicameral assembly preferable, and which have since been adopted in all the States of the Union, as, well as in other countries where the experiment of popular forms has been tried. There is no doubt that this was a favorite theory with him, because he explained and gave his reasons for it on another occasion. The perpetual conflict between the two branches under the proprietary government of Pennsylvania, in which the best laws after having been passed by the Representatives of the people were constantly defeated by the veto of the Governor and Council, seems to have produced a strong impression on his mind. He also referred to the British Parliament as a proof that the voice of the people expressed by their representatives is often silenced by an order of men in the legislature, who have interests to s...
Benjamin Franklin was a very prominent figure in shaping our nation. Many people look at him as a role model or just as an amazing individual. He had his faults just like every human being had, and he shouldn’t be discredited because of a few minor glitches to his character. As being the only person that had signed The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and the Treaty of Paris, this immediately separates him from all others. One of the things that he wrote about in Benjamin Franklin: The Autobiography and Other Writings, was trying to be the ideal person, and even made a list of virtues to live by. His virtues were very important to his lifestyle, and he followed them to a great extent.
Ben Franklin was born in Boston on a Sunday in January of 1706. His father was a candle maker and had many sons. Ben from a young age was a very adventurous boy, he was often getting in trouble. As a teen Ben Franklin went to work with his brother as a newspaper printer. Ben was in love with books and wanted to write a column in his brothers paper. He and his brother argued several times and Ben ran away to New York but soon ended up in Philadelphia running his own newspaper company. Ben Franklin was a scientist and inventor, we’ve all heard about Ben with electricity. Ben Franklin was also a major founding father of the constitution and was viewed as a very patriotic person.
For example, he wanted to achieve virtues of being just, orderly, and a few other virtues can be used for other things other than being good for oneself. Franklin also seems to be a little obsessed with bettering oneself and perfecting oneself. To me, this seems like it could end up being an unhealthy way of living and achieving ones goals. Another thing that gives me reason to believe that Benjamin Franklin had anterior motives when publishing these virtues for moral perfection is that he never talks about religion because he believes that this will cause it to appeal to people of all religions. Why would Benjamin Franklin care that his virtues appeal to all religions if this was really about him bettering himself? Maybe this was to help other people better themselves too or was it for people to look up to
Born to Josiah and Abiah Franklin on January 17, 1706 in Boston, New England (now known as Massachusetts), Benjamin Franklin was the youngest son of seventeen children. Early on, Franklin excelled in grammar school and was good when it came to writing, so his father sent him to a writing and arithmetic school. While there he continued to do well in writing but failed arithmetic.
Benjamin Franklin's moral and social philosophies inspired and continue to inspire millions around the globe. Becoming a "self-made man" is a long and arduous task. Improve yourself, which will in return improve the society. Contradiction is inevitable when trying to follow strict ideals. Franklin's purpose was to make people aware of their inclinations and to help them overcome the natural tendencies of man, which would limit our dependence on other people. Benjamin Franklin is an inspiration to us all.
Benjamin Franklin was a scholar and lexicographer, a representative of the American Enlightenment, ideologist of the national liberation movement. It should be noted that Franklin was one of the most active participants of the struggle of American people for independence. He condemned slavery and ardently defended the rights of American national minorities.