Benjamin Franklin was a man of many trades who had significant impact on the revolutionary war. He was incredibly talented with beautiful philosophy. “Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom - and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech”- (Benjamin Franklin). Benjamin Franklin and his involvement with the revolutionary war founded our country based on his background, virtues, education and inventions.
At the start of the 18th century, the beginning of the Enlightenment was upon America. There were many factors and people who help play a part in the Enlightenment or, in other words, the Age of Reason, some of the people that assisted the enlightenment was Thomas Jefferson, John Locke, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adam. Each of the philosophers demonstrates the fundamental idea of the Enlightenment like liberalism, rationalism, conservatism, toleration and scientific progress. Even though each person played an important part, the most influences person that was involved was Benjamin Franklin. Throughout Benjamin Franklin`s life, he demonstrates through his action and writing that he was the epitome of the Enlightenment by showing that he was
In his Autobiography, Benjamin Franklin stated, “So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do.” By this, Franklin meant that reasoning enables people to justify all of their actions. Justification, in this case, is rationalization. In his Autobiography, Franklin writes about his being a vegetarian, due to the reason that killing animals, fish in this instance, was unprovoked murder and therefore he would not eat them. However, when he smelt fish cooking, he remembered how he used to love fish, and he had a desire to eat it after he had smelt it. Franklin describes this inner conflict as having to balance “principle and inclination.” He then justified his desire for the fish with fairly sound reasoning. He writes that if fish can eat other fish, it is okay that he eats the fish that he desired so much. Both of Franklin’s actions can be justified by using proportionate reasoning and logic. His reasons for both eating fish and not eating fish were justified to him with his reasoning in both cases. This therefore proves and validated his assertions about one’s ability to justify one’s actions through reasoning. Franklin’s assertions can be proved in many other historical events and aspects of society, most notable being slavery in the United States, tax evasions, and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
I chose The Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin. I am very familiar with it because I did a project on it, so I will be able to explain it in greater detail than if I had chosen another story. It was quite enjoyable and informative, too, so I find it interesting to discuss. The Autobiography is about Franklin’s journey to become a better person. He originally wanted to become perfect, but he was never able to achieve this goal.
Franklin claims that he has been living long enough to see errors that he made, therefore as he grow older, he tend to “doubt of [his] own judgment” because nobody is perfect due to his past experiences (43). The informations that Franklin presents is to show his reputation that he is not perfect, also his constitution but he is open minded and willing to make what is best for the people. The perspective errors of the constitution have, is being “sacrificed to the public good” meaning all the flaw that constitution have will not be reveal to the people (44). Franklin is very passion about what is best for the people and their happiness, furthermore his characteristic is very respectful toward the citizen and the congress. As a result, Benjamin Franklin is a wise man, in order to create trusts from the members of the congress, he utilizes his ethos by accepting his fallibilities and willing to do good for the constitution to be
Franklin made it a huge part of his life to continue bettering his education and himself. Due to Franklins determination, he became a very successful politician along with so much more. Lastly, religion was another large part of Franklin’s book, he speaks thoroughly about his thoughts on different religions and his search for what he truly believed in. Despite leaving his religious group and stating that he doubted the Revelation he still stated that he had respect for other religious groups and supported the
Earlier in the semester we were introduced to John De Crevecoeur’s letters from an American Farmer and Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography. The two books both had strong opinions about what American and what the “New Man” was in American during the 18th century. In the 18th century Benjamin franklin was the man who invented the American dream for many people. His Dream was that through hard work and honesty any man can gain respect in the community; along with deserving prosperity and economic protection. he also believed that American was a place where you could come and have a new start. John De Crevecoeur’s vison of the America and the “New Man” is a man who is leaving behind his old ways to create new ways and adapt new manner to make a new life for himself.
Benjamin Franklin was an American thinker that had a great connection with Europe and America. He exchanged ideas between Europe and the colonies and had extensive knowledge in government and how it affects the people and their happiness. Franklin had a profound influence on the formation of the new government. With his help he assisted in the formation of a new government in the colonies. Which also formed a basic foundation for the modern government that we see
Franklin contributed some of his success in this area to his wife, whom he says is “as much dispos’d to industry and frugality as [himself]” (Franklin 37). Together, their table was “plain and simple”, their furniture “of the cheapest”, and Franklin’s breakfast was milk without tea, eaten out of a “twopenny earthen porringer” with a pewter spoon (Franklin 37). Franklin did not see value in upgrading his pewter spoon to silver or his cheap porringer to a china bowl. Franklin valued practicality and would rather avoid the enormous sum of “three-and-twenty shillings” for such things when the pewter spoon does the same job for a fraction of the price (Franklin 37). Franklin is frugal with his diet, as well. Franklin avoids overconsumption of alcohol because he knows that a loaf of bread is a better use of his money. Franklin realizes that bread is much more satisfying than a beer or “grain of . . . barley dissolved in . . . water” ever would be (Franklin 23). At age 16, Franklin took on a vegetable diet so that he could save half of what his brother gave him for board money (Franklin 6). Franklin values frugality so highly that he refers to as the way to wealth, freedom from debt, and “producing affluence and independence” (Franklin 38). Franklin goes as far as to “avoid all appearances to the contrary [of being frugal]”, by always dressing plainly when out in public and not being seen at expensive, “places of idle diversion” (Franklin 33). Franklin’s combined frugality and humble appearance worked in his favor, as he was seen as a “thriving young man” whom merchants would import stationery for and “others would supply . . . with books” (Franklin 33). This frugality of Franklin’s gave him social standing, success, and riches. Frugality is an American ideal due to the benefits one can reap from it, and Franklin is a great example of what it means to be
The 18th century was when Britain and its colonies grew closer because of the circulation in letters, newspapers, and books. Franklin’s work in providing a public forum through his newspaper, discussion groups, library system, and almanac established the foundations for evolution of this American character. The British Parliament let the Licensing Act lapse, and the result was a print revolution. All over Britain and Europe print was essential to transmission of new ideas. This information soon reached the Atlantic, and the colonies began printing their own newspapers. Benjamin Franklin was born in 1706 and
He talks about things from the “establishment, that which [he] first formed, called the Union Fire Company” (Franklin 82) which was a big deal back then to inventing a new fireplace. He writes about his good deeds because Franklin wants to show what good Americans can do. His son would probably not have care as much, but the general public would care how Americans can prosper. Part three is all about how he prospered, how he lived the ‘American Dream’ Some believe that Benjamin Franklin wrote about his good deeds because he wanted to show Great Britain how great America was. He wanted to show that they could grow and prosper, that the Americans do not need Great Britain to survive, that they are fine by themselves, maybe ever
After a fiercely fought revolution, the newly independent American nation struggled to establish a concrete government amidst an influx of opposing ideologies. Loosely tied together by the Articles of Confederation, the thirteen sovereign states were far from united. As growing schisms in American society became apparent, an array of esteemed, prominent American men united in 1787 to form the basis of the United States government: the Constitution. Among the most eminent members of this convention were Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson. These men, held to an almost godly stature, defined the future of the nation; but were their intentions as honest as they seemed? Joseph J. Ellis’s groundbreaking Founding Brothers
Even though the colonists originated from England, many viewed themselves as Americans not English. To be successful in overcoming the British, Benjamin Franklin knew that the colonists had to unite. In Document A he constructed a political cartoon that
In Patrick Henry’s speech in the Virginia Convention he talked about how the people of Virginia needed to fight the British. In Benjamin Franklin’s speech in the Convention he talked on how he thought the Constitution had some problems and how he thought it could be different to help all the people of the country.
Quote from source 3: "Benjamin went to work for a man named Keimer, who was not a very good printer. Franklin quickly put his shop in order. His work attracted the attention of Pennsylvania 's governor, Sir William Keith, who offered to set up the 18-year-old Franklin in business.”