Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Benjamin franklin autobiography
Benjamin Franklin in the American Revolution
Benjamin franklin autobiography
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Benjamin franklin autobiography
Benjamin Franklin: Ingenuity and Patriotism
What comes into your mind when you hear the name Benjamin Franklin? Many people think of the lightning rod when they think of the name Benjamin Franklin. Although he is mostly known for his kite experiment that proved that lightning was electricity, he has done many other amazing things in his lifetime. Throughout his life, he has shown patriotism in his personal life and during the American Revolution and has shown ingenuity through his many inventions.
Benjamin’s patriotism had an effect with his relationship with his son. Franklin had decided to go against Great Britain (Skemp). William stayed loyal to the King but, Benjamin wanted to break away and be independent. U.S History stated that because
…show more content…
Not only did he help the colonies during the American Revolution, he had also helped the colonies before the American Revolution started. When Parliament had enforced the Stamp Act, the colonists were furious because they thought Parliament should not be allowed to tax the colonist from 3,000 miles away. Franklin had protested against the Stamp Act but told the colonists to follow the tax (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia). With the help from Benjamin, he had convinced Parliament to abolish the Stamp Act (U.S History). Franklin had shown his support to the colonies by convincing Parliament to repeal the Stamp …show more content…
“Much of Franklin’s reputation was a result of his phenomenal demonstration of capturing lightning from the sky and bringing it safely to the ground without harming people or property.” (Block). Because of Benjamin’s invention of the lightning rod, many people’s lives and property were saved. Another invention of his, are bifocal eyeglasses (Block). The bifocal glasses had allowed people to see both up close and far away. The top of the glasses were to see far away and the bottom was to see up close. It was very convenient for people. Benjamin had invented a heat-efficient stove (which was named the Franklin stove) to help heat houses easier ( U.S History). Although the Franklin stove didn’t sell very good in the eighteenth century, people have taken the Franklin stove and improved it. Benjamin’s inventions have affected people's
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, one of the Founding Fathers to the United States, was not a patriot but a mere loyalist to England before the dissolution between England and the colonies occurred. Sheila L. Skemp's The Making of a Patriot explores how Benjamin Franklin tried to stay loyal to the crown while taking interest in the colonies perception and their own representation in Parliament. While Ms. Skemp alludes to Franklin's loyalty, her main illustration is how the attack by Alexander Wedderburn during the Privy Council led to Franklin's disillusionment with the British crown and the greater interest in making the Thirteen Colonies their own nation. Her analysis of Franklin's history in Parliament and what occurred on the night that the council convened proves the change behind Franklin's beliefs and what lead to his involvement in the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. Benjamin Franklin was the colonial agent representing Massachusetts in Parliament in Britain.
Benjamin Franklin had an easier route to success than Frederick Douglass in my opinion. Franklin was provided with a school and came from a nice family while Douglass on the other hand had to deal with slavery and other issues. The goals or the things that Benjamin Franklin did were for the whole world or the economy but the majority of the things that Douglass did deal with black people, slavery, and black rights. Those two came from totally different environments with different roadblocks but they both found a way to be successful in their own way.
African or black history was not a study that was done by many until the last century. Studying African Americans accurately as part of American History was an even newer field of history. John Hope Franklin’s obituary calls him, “the scholar who helped create the field of African-American history and dominated it for nearly six decades.” He would call himself an historian of the American South.
Benjamin Franklin was a major participant in the colonies strive for independence. He had a house in London and was very influential in England. However, his love of liberty and his wish to help the well being of Pennsylvania pushed him toward independence for the colonies. Also, since he was well respected in England, a large and difficult question was why does Parliament have power over the American colonies? At first Benjamin Franklin wanted the colonies to be and independent free nation under the strong protection of England.. Benjamin Franklin had problems with separation from england because hee thought they had one of the best and freest governments in the world. Thedn Benjamin Franklin proposed self-government for the American colonies. Benjamin Franklin was always for an independent and self-governing country when he was in the colonies though. And had nearly forty years of service as a public official began when Franklin was elected for the Pennsylvania Assembly. At first, he wanted to get support for various local causes but soon polotics on a larger swcale held his undivided attention.
Franklin also contributed to convincing France to join the revolution with the colonies against Britain. The colonies were in a losing war. Eventually France intervened and helped the colonies by supplying them with firearms and men to assist the defeat of the English. This defeat led to the independence of the United States.
Benjamin Franklin is one of the most profound individuals in American history. He is a Diplomat, Writer, Inventor, a founding father, and holds the title as the “First American.” In 1706 Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony. He is the fifteenth of seventeen children that his father, Josiah Franklin, had. At the age of 8 years old Franklin attended school, here he learned literacy. In spite of his successes in school, he had to drop out at the young age of 10 to assist his father with his business. Franklin did not enjoy working for his father’s business, however he had to work at his father’s shop for about 2 years. Josiah then had Benjamin apprenticed to his little brother, James, who was a printer. James is the founder
It’s common for people who are successful in life to look down on other’s who haven’t ‘made something of themselves’ in their eyes, but it is also common for these successful people to come from privilege. It isn’t often they they will factor in this privilege when setting themselves up as a model, and this can be said for even Benjamin Franklin, a founding father of our country. While some people read Benjamin Franklin autobiography and put him in the place of the ‘perfect American self-made man’, it can be argued that Benjamin Franklin only accomplished everything he did because he started out with privilege that most people could only dream of in the time. When Benjamin Franklin makes a switch from
Benjamin Franklin was one of the most significant figures during the 18th century. The significance of Benjamin Franklin can be observed through his contributions to society. Such contributions include his profession as a printer, the creation of the first subscription library, the creation of Poor Richard’s Almanac, and his experiments with electricity. In addition, Franklin also tried to reconcile the differences between England and America, and when that proved futile, he traveled to France in an attempt to convince the French to support America in their quest for independence from England. At one point in time Benjamin Franklin was the most famous American on the planet.
Benjamin and William had very different economic, political, and personal circumstances. For instance, Benjamin was a self-made man, who had run away to become influential in the colonial world. He became a Philadelphia printer, then a statesman, and was even able to retire in his forties. Benjamin had a lot of pride in Great Britain and was extremely loyal up to this point. But in 1774, his mood towards Britain changed greatly after his ordeal before the Privy Council. They humiliated him and then the government took away his post office position. He acted indifferent but his view on Great Britain was never the same. On the other hand, William Franklin was raised in different circumstances. Though he was an illegitimate child without a proper mother, he was raised in stable economic conditions. He ...
Benjamin Franklin completed many accomplishments from childhood to adulthood. When he was just 22 he established his first printing business with a partner, Hugh Meredith. Benjamin soon bought out Hugh Meredith's share. In 1732, when Franklin was only 26 he published the first edition of 'Poor Richards Almanack,' the book shows evidence that it was successful for 25 years. 'Poor Richards Almanack' allowed Franklin to retire from business a rich man in 1748. In 1741 Benjamin Franklin invented the Franklin Stove. The stove was handy for both, heating a room or cooking. In 1752 Benjamin Franklin conducted his famous electricity experiment with a kite. In 1757 Franklin returned to England as a Colonial agent for Pennsylvania. Next, in the year of 171 Benjamin began to write his own autobiography. In 1775 as a member of the Continental Congress, Franklin advocated separation from England. In 1776 Franklin helped draft the Declaration of Independence, in the fall he goes to France to plead the American cause. In 1778, Benjamin arranged the American Alliance with France, which soon led...
As Benjamin Franklin grew older, his vision worsened. He became both far-sighted and near-sighted and the constant switching of his glasses frustrated him so much that he decided to solve this problem. He invented a pair of glasses that incorporated both lenses into one frame called bifocals. “Bifocals are a type of prescription eyeglasses designed for people who need both near and farsighted vision correction. Benjamin Franklin developed the first pair of bifocals in August 1784”
In addition, Franklin was basically arguing that the Stamp Act was an attempt to increase owed money by the colonies without the consent of their respective legislatures. This is a prime example of “no taxation without representation.” It is explained by Franklin that the intention of British authorities was to have internal tax extorted from the colonists. If the colonists refused to pay, then they would suffer from the severe consequences. Men like Samuel Adams in Boston formed groups to protest the stamp act.
Benjamin Franklin is one of the most influential and famous figures of all time. Ben Franklin if often referred to as the "self-made man," and his philosophies and principles in the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, edited by Louis P. Masur, has served as a self-help book for millions around the world. Franklin's Autobiography is a prime example of the American dream, a rag to riches story that has inspired many people to think of themselves and the community in a different light. Franklin's moral and social philosophies are packed deeply into his Autobiography. Franklin believed that improving ones self was the key to success. Self-improvement, self-education, and self-discipline are the main factors of a self-made man. Improving yourself will ultimately improve the society as a whole. Franklin speaks of principality and inclination. His idea was to produce the principle man with the awareness of man's natural inclination. Throughout the text Franklin provides examples from his own life that contradicts his moral and social philosophies. These contradictions are mostly caused by natural inclinations. Franklin uses these contradictions to educate people to be aware of their natural inclinations and to try and overcome them. Franklin's realizes that improving oneself is a road with many imperfections. Not even the "self-made man" was completely perfect.
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.