The Benjamin Franklin Story
In my opinion Ben Franklin was the most influential of the founding fathers. He did a lot more than just help found our nation though. He was also a scientist, diplomat, businessman, and philosopher. I can't think of any person who is more quoted than he is, and he lived 200 years ago!
Benjamin Franklin, born January 17, 1706, was the 10th son of 17 children. He was born and grew up in Boston. Even though he was considered by most to be extremely intelligent, he only attended grammar school for 2 years. When he was just 10 years-old, Ben began to work for his father as a candle maker (Sahlman).
In 1717, he began to regain some of the knowledge that he was deprived when he was pulled out of school to work for his father. Franklin began reading writings from such authors as: Plutarch, Defoe, and Mather ("The Electric Franklin"). This education obviously became very important later in his life to him and our country. It is like he said, "Genius without education is like silver in the mine (Glenn)."
Ben Franklin grew up extremely quickly by today's standards. At the age of 17, he ran away from his home in Boston and moved to Philadelphia. Franklin slipped a letter, signed "Silence Dogood," under the door of his brother's newspaper, the New England Courant. That letter and the next 13 written by Franklin were published anonymously. The essays were widely read and acclaimed for their satire (Sahlman).
Once in Philadelphia he got a job as a printer. He established a friendship with the Pennsylvania governor, Sir William Keith. Franklin took Keith's suggestion and decided to go into business for himself. Franklin proved himself to be a great businessman (Sahlman). These are Ben...
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...urned to Philadelphia after the lengthy trip to Europe. Two years later, he became a member of the overly important Constitutional Convention. Although he was 80+ years old, he still helped create and signed the Constitution ("Benjamin Franklin").
One of the final things that Franklin did in his life was helping petition congress to abolish slavery. Although it wasn't successful, it really helped set the tone for things to come (Sahlman).
Bedridden at the ripe age of 84, Ben Franklin passed away. Over 20,000 people attended his funeral ("Benjamin Franklin"). Why not? He was and still is one of the greatest people to ever live.
In my mind, there is no other person is history as versatile as he was. Throughout his life he was a diplomat, scientist, "rebel," business man, an author, and a founder of our country. I don't know what more you could ask for!
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.
The United States of America was formed by many president's of our time. One of these very influential presidents was George Washington. Courageous, smart and firm. The "founding father" has influenced many people today. He was a commander in chief of the forces during the Revolutionary War, chairman of the convention that wrote the Constitution, and the very first president. He has made very important decisions that still influence our country today.
became a revolutionist at the age of seventy. But more than just his political views helped the formation of the United States government and independance. His common sense, knowledge, and ability to negotiate all played a major part in the forming of a new country. Benjamin Franklin's ability to compromise often helped prevent large disputes which could have stalled the new government from forming.
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
Benjamin Franklin was the youngest of ten sons of a Boston soap and candle maker, had little formal schooling, and was trained in adolescence as a printer's apprentice. Ben's father, "intending to devote Ben as the tenth of his sons to the service of the church" put Ben into grammar school at the age of eight (Franklin (book) -335). With his parents intending for him to have a career in the church it was a sure shock that Franklin became a Deist, a religion based on reason and logic, rather than revelation or tradition. As a teenager, Franklin was given some books against Deism, and it just so happened that they wrought an effect on him that was quite contrary to what was intended by them. He realized that the arguments of the Deists appeared to be much stronger than the refutations, and soon after became a thorough Deist. He attacked Christian principles of free will and morality in a 1725 pamphlet, A Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain.
In The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Franklin reminisces for his son. Throughout this novel, Benjamin Franklin addresses many issues with anecdotes and wise sayings to his son, which have universal application. Franklin employs diction, sentence structure, and tone to produce a colloquial style. These literary techniques help construct a fascinating autobiography, which is quite unusual for his time.
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.
Ben Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston. As a young boy he loved to read, but his father only had enough money for one year of school. At the age of 15 he started to work at his brother's newspaper company, The New England Courant, and first became famous for the article under
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 traveled by boat hoping to find work as a printer in New York but there was none, he continued his journey for work through New Jersey and ended up in Philadelphia where he found work as an apprentice printer for Samuel Keimer. Franklin’s skill as a writer put him at good terms with the Governor William Keith of Pennsylvania. After Bens brother-in-law showed the governor one of Bens letters the governor was stunned by his mastery of wordplay and sent out to meet this great writer. The governor wanted Ben to start his own printing company, but Ben’s father would not finance his print shop, so the Governor told Franklin that he would in fact finance the start of his printing company, after Ben journeys to London to setup business connections, and buy supplies for the company.
Something interesting about Mr. Franklin is that he wasn’t always the smartest or brightest cats in his young age. When Ben was in his early teens he was a newspaper printer, and he also helped his brother in typing his newspapers. At the age of seventeen Benjamin had moved to the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia in 1723. Franklin also helped in the in the first public library, fire department and organized the first college in Philly. Benjamin Franklin was a very intelligent man at a very early age and earned that a human can work and do an activity on only five and a half hours. He also believed in not rushing to get something and to just let time help do something.
Born and raised by a Puritan soap maker who had seventeen children, the tenth child named Benjamin Franklin would become one of the most famous scientists, writers, inventors and hold a very important role in the American Revolution. He was the youngest son therefor he had no inheritance, however, he had the willpower to succeed and lived out the tale of rags to riches. Franklin started working at the age of 12 as an apprentice for his brother, but discontent with his job as an apprentice he ran away at the age of 17. He eventually made it to Philadelphia with nothing but two coins to rub together, one in which he tipped to the man who took him to Philadelphia on a boat. He started working there and was offered money to go to London to get
Personally, I think that Benjamin Franklin was more than just an American hero; he was an inspiration in the past, and to this day he still is. After all, it is his face that’s on $100 dollar bill.
Benjamin Franklin is a vital man in our history. Benjamin was an politician, writer, inventor, scientist, and so much more. He came into to this world on January 17, 1706. He had fairly humble beginning. His father was Josiah Franklin, a soap maker, and his mother was Abiah Folger. Benjamin was the tenth child out of seventeen children. Josiah sent Benjamin to clergy school, but could only afford it for one year. Benjamin went on to apprentice under his brother James as a printer. Benjamin wanted to write for James's paper, but he knew James would never allow it. To remedy this Benjamin wrote under the name Silence Dogood and slip the letters under the door of James's print shop. Eventually Benjamin confessed to the writings an James was not very happy about it. Benjamin decided leave in 1723 because he could no longer stand the harassment he received from James.
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.