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John winthrop essay
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John Winthrop and Benjamin Franklin were both leaders in their time. They had very different views on common issues, which is very apparent in the works used in the document provided for this paper. The two men had differences in topics such as; logical thinking, religion, and views on government control. John Winthrop was more of a strict man who didn't see the option of questioning issue, where as Benjamin Franklin chose to have a more open mind about each issue he dealt with.
We see a very distinct difference between the two men in how they use logic. John Winthrop's logic, if you could call it logic, was very distorted. In the document, we read about a woman who gave birth to a still born child. Today if we hear about this we would acknowledge the tragedy and continue on with life. Winthrop writes “some rumor began to spread, that the child was a monster...”, this shows how his society was ignorant to the possibility of still born children. They didn't understand why a child could be born still, so they came to the conclusion that it must have been the woman's fault. He goes on to say that the women was right to leave town because people started to suspect that she was a witch. Benjamin Franklin on the other hand used logic to benefit himself and teach others to do the same. He was very adamant about the idea that “Time is Money”. He expressed for example, if you could make 10 dollars in a day and you waste half a day, you have thrown away 5 dollars. He didn't accept that you could take a day off without losing more that what you spent which is what made him a very successful and wealthy man. He also believed that money can create money. This idea is proven to still work in our society today, an example of thi...
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...t over you, in all administration of it, for your good”. Benjamin Franklin's view of government is completely opposite to Winthrop's. Benjamin Franklin was part of the group who created the “Declaration of Independence”. He believed that, “whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government.”
In summary, I believe colonial society had changed greatly from Winthrop's days to Franklin's. This is beneficial because we see how society is able to stray from the path of religion and venture onto other ideas that would have otherwise been discouraged. Benjamin Franklin was able to detach himself from traditional religion to expand his ability to experiment with science where as John Winthrop remained narrow minded because of his dedication to his religious beliefs.
There may not be two more contrasting characters of early America then Thomas Morton and John Winthrop. Morton was nicknamed, "Leader of Misrule" while Winthrop was seen as the "model of [a] perfect earthly ruler" (147). These two figures not only help settle a new land, they also had firsthand knowledge of each other. They are not two people that lived years apart from each other but rather they lived concurrently. With two such polarizing people living in a small new land, there was bound to be at least one disagreement. We are fortunate to have writings from each of these two fascinating men. One can't help but be thoroughly entertained when reading the words that each man left behind. Morton was the rebellious and raucous and Winthrop was the conservative preacher. Each had different ideas and ideals for what America was to become. Their two opinions could not differ much more from the other but they both weren't quite right. It seems that America has found a middle ground. Perhaps these two help set the path to where we stand now.
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.
The conflict between Benjamin Franklin and his only living son is a microcosm of the little-understood clash between those Americans who strived for independence from British occupation and those that felt the country was either not or never would be ready for self-governance. Benjamin Franklin felt strongly enough about his son’s actions to label them betrayal; William Franklin felt strongly enough about the foolhardiness of the Revolution to suffer his father’s wrath. The actions of the loyalists are understood by Americans to constitute treason, but this is a simplification. Many loyalists felt that r...
John Winthrop was a wealthy puritan governor and helped found the Massachusetts Bay colony. As an activist for moral liberty he addressed natural liberty very clearly. He made it evident that he is not a fan by stating that natural liberty is lawless and corrupt, and abides only to beasts. Winthrop compares a civil man with a simple man, and says the simple man has no direction or guidance and can do evil as he wishes. Winthrop’s address to moral liberty, or civil liberty is intended to help people live clean free lives and do what is good. State and religious regulations are needed to guide people to do morally right things and steer them away from corruption.
Jefferson’s language in the Declaration of Independence shows clear influence from Locke and his theory of Life, Liberty, and Property. Locke’s idea of government is one that sets out to protect these rights and once a government becomes more destructive than useful it is the right of the people to dissolve the government and start over from scratch. It can be seen that Jefferson’s view of government, through his criticisms toward the British Parliament, are in direct alignment with Locke’s.
When looking at the Declaration of Independence and the justifications which Jefferson used in order to encourage the dissolve of the ties between the United Colonies and Great Britain, it becomes apparent how much of the theories of John Locke that Jefferson used as the basis for his argument. Focusing particularly on the second paragraph of the Declaration, the arguments for the equality of each man and the formation and destruction of governments come almost directly from Locke's Second Treatise of Government. The other arguments in the Declaration of Independence deal primarily with each citizen's rights and the natural freedoms of all men, two areas that Locke also spent much time writing on.
Franklin’s accomplishments arose from the influence of family, friends, education, and personal experience with being African American. He had a difficult task as an historian as he was writing about the neglected history of his minority group while being an advocate for the rights of this group. This could be perceived as a conflict of interest, but he thought of it as being beneficial. His method of writing was not to promote African Americans, but to interpret their involvement in the framework of American history. This was not something that had been done extensively and thoroughly before. Franklin set the stage and helped to create a widely accepted field of history.
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
Franklin moved from Boston to Philadelphia in search of a better place to stay and for his exploration. He is known for going “from rags to riches” from achieving many jobs and contributing to the colonies as a way to give back to the community. He became the first person to open a public library in Philadelphia in hopes of helping more people to educate themselves. Later, he established a fire company, developed a hospital and many useful things that are still with us today. Also, established the University of Pennsylvania and reformed the police department by taxing the community and having steady law enforcement.
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
John Locke was an English philosopher who lived during 1632-1704. In political theory he was equally influential. Contradicting Hobbes, Locke maintained that the original state of nature was happy and characterized by reason and tolerance; all human beings were equal and free to pursue "life, health, liberty, and possessions." The state formed by the social contract was guided by the natural law, which guaranteed those inalienable rights. He set down the policy of checks and balances later followed in the U.S. Constitution; formulated the doctrine that revolution in some circumstances is not only a right but an obligation; and argued for broad religious freedom.
He writes about the relationship between society and government and how he views each of those separately. He believes that the British system does not work for the American colonies, as the monarchy is granted too much power. He lists many reasons on why he feels the system is also full of contradictions to the American people. How Franklin structures his argument is he is trying to persuade his readers. He is really making sure the audience understands his ideas and is open to them. What I feel his most persuasive point in the argument is his viewpoint on the relationship between America and Britain. “We have boasted the protection of Great Britain without considering that her motive was interest not attachment; and that she did not protect us from our enemies on our account; but from her enemies on her own account.” (Paine, 1776 p.326). That quotes shows how he feels the British interest in the relationship, is only at the hands of their benefit and not truly at the
...ple, Benjamin Franklin developed his own style of writing which was adopted by many liberal writers who shaped Franklin’s political views a great deal. It is also worth noting that Benjamin drew a lot from his father Josiah who he viewed as all round. He was particularly impressed by his ability to make sound judgment a skill also seen by other locals.
Franklin’s Rational Mind Philosopher Immanuel Kant once said, “There is nothing higher than reason” (242). Those who live by this assertion often identify with rationalism, a school of thought historically adopted by practical and progressive thinkers. Generally, its followers believe that they should use their reasoning skills to improve themselves and humanity as a whole. In the early United States, these principles, along with the people who sought to live by them, became an influential part of the country’s developing culture. One distinguished leader of the movement was Benjamin Franklin, whose rationalist beliefs and sedulous nature led him to achieve prominence and success in American society.
Summarizing the statements found, we can presume that Ben Franklin wanted to show the flaws of the Constitution that would most likely never be in a more perfect form. He believed that our opinions drove us apart and at the same time, allowed the Constitution to benefit us. Ben Franklin said we must make our agreement obvious if they planned to take notice of his address. He delivers his opinion firmly by revealing what the Constitution does and can do. Without it, we would be fighting amongst each other and with it, we can work to improve