Benjamin Franklin Research Paper

Benjamin Franklin: The Original American

Benjamin Franklin was born in the year 1706 in Boston. He was his father’s, Josiah Franklin, fifteenth child. One could be certain that when Benjamin was still a boy, he would have never thought of himself as a potential American hero of sorts. He just did not contain the typical standards of a “hero.” Benjamin had not taken part in any outstanding military conquests and did not rescue any damsels in distress. Franklin did on the other hand, help create a more ingenuous society based more on reason and logic, rather than the cultural norm of just doing what one is told to do. His achievements in this field as well as others helped him become a true archetypal American. In the 1700s, as well as in modern

times, he has always been viewed as a model citizen. Spending the majority of his time bettering not only his life, but the lives of others in his community and around the world. He lived his life through a set of Thirteen Virtues: silence, order, frugality, sincerity, and justice, just to name a few. Franklin’s Virtues along with his ideas to better his own life as well as others’, his dedication to industry and innovation, and his goal of proceeding through life efficiently without offending others makes him a true Archetypal American.
A main ideal of Benjamin Franklin was his yearning desire to better not only his own life, but the lives of others. All of his thirteen of his virtues are centralized around this certain idea. Benjamin began his career as a learner when he was indentured to his brother, James, who owned a printing shop. This burden allowed him to further pursue his passion for reading and writing. His entire life was based around the idea that one could never stop learning. For instance, he stated, “This library afforded me the means of improvement by constant study, for which I set apart an hour or two each day; and thus repair’d in some degree the loss of the leaned education my father once intended for me” (92). He proves his desire to learn again when he says, “I had begun in 1733 to study languages” (109). In his quest to become multilingual he taught himself to become a master of French, Italian, Spanish, and Latin. Although Franklin strived to learn all that he could throughout his life, he also strived to be a teacher. Benjamin proves this when he writes, “In 1732 I first published my almanac, under the name of Richard Saunders; it was continu’d by me about 25 years, commonly call’d Poor Richard’s Almanack”(106). With the publication of his almanac, he proved that he was genuinely interested in the betterment of others. This resource was translated into multiple languages and was studied around the world. He had a passion for teaching and education throughout his life. After meeting a widow born in Holland, where knowledge of accounting (accompts) is part of the female education, who managed her deceased husbands printing business, he realized a fault in the colonial way of educating women. Benjamin states, “I mention this affair chiefly for the sake of recommending that branch of education for our young females… enabling them to continue perhaps a profitable mercantile house” (108). Benjamin makes it known that he genuinely cares for the education of all, regardless of sex.
Benjamin Franklin was also greatly centered around the idea of industry and innovation. This begins with his sixth virtue stating, “Industry: Lose no time. – Be always employ’d in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions” (96). His idea of industry led to him pursuing a life of innovation and invention. A prime example of his industrious attitude was when he proclaimed, “That as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours, and this we should do freely and generously” (124). This proclamation was Franklin’s response to Governor Thomas’ offer to patent Franklin’s newly developed stove, which was created with the intention of heating homes more efficiently while saving precious fuel. Franklin patented none of his inventions because he believed that someone could eventually improve upon his ideas and create an even better product. Another one of his many accomplishments was, as he said, “…forming a company for the more ready extinguishing of fires, and the mutual assistance in removing and securing goods when in danger” (113). This was quite possibly one of the greater of his innovations, due to the fact that it allowed his community become a safer environment. His tenth Virtue was, “Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, cloaths, or habination” (96). While living in Philadelphia he noticed the large quantity of dust and mud that had developed along the streets; this bothered him. With this idea in mind, he writes, “After some enquiry I found a poor industrious man, who was willing to undertake keeping the pavement clean, by sweeping it twice a week & carrying off the dirt from before all the neighbours doors” (130). He believed this action would improve the quality of life in his beloved city by keeping dirt and dust from accumulating in the marketplace and throughout the area. The thought sweeping the pavement clean led to another reflection that the citizens would be much happier in a city where all the streets were paved. Of course most citizens agreed with him, even with the understanding that a small tax would be necessary to make this possible.
Another belief of Benjamin’s was his desire to go about life without offending others, in order to create the best possible environment throughout his surroundings.

His second virtue was as follows, “Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or your self. Avoid trifling conversation” (95). You can see this ideal of his come into being through his discussion group, “Junto”. This discussion group had a set of laws and codes, one of those being silence and the necessity to have the group be kept as a secret. In this group Benjamin and his scholarly acquaintances could discuss tough topics, without offending others throughout the community. Part of creating an outstanding environment gave him his third virtue, “Order: Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time” (95). This specific virtue can be seen throughout his autobiography. On page 100 of the book, you can see that order and organization was a very important part of his life, due to the fact that he had each hour of his day planned out. In 1778 many of his papers were ransacked from Philadelphia during the war. On this topic he speaks again on the importance of order by saying, “…I have always thought that one man of tolerable abilities may work great changes, & accomplish great affairs among Mankind, if he first forms a good plan, and, cutting off all amusements or other employments that would divert his attention…” (106). Benjamin’s idea of keeping himself in some sort of order prevented himself and other around him from making mistakes that could be detrimental to their

society.
Benjamin Franklin led a very efficient way of life. Striving for a life of simplicity, but also a life of complexity. He yearned for the world to continuously and successfully develop. The Thirteen Virtues were important to Franklin; however, there were three specific breakdowns of these virtues that made him truly great. One being the bettering of his own life, as well as the lives of others around him. He expressed this by his continuous desire for education of himself and the world. Second being the efficiency of industry and innovation. This ideal led to his many community-helping programs. The first firehouse, University of Philadelphia, the first street sweepers, and his many unpatented inventions. Lastly he led a life of order, with the goal of avoiding offending others. Franklin created a private discussion group, with the idea of bettering his community, without the backlash of offended citizen’s criticisms. If one were to look for the qualities of an archetypal American, they should look no further than Benjamin Franklin.
Nicholas Amsbaugh
Word Count: 1371