Category: Benjamin Franklin

Ben Franklin was a unique man that didn’t share the same values as many of the other people of his rank during his time period. He grew up in a time where religion was the main concern of the majority of people, especially high ranking people. He spent his time with his inventions and being a nationalist for his country. He did these things without religion on his mind, his only thought was the betterment of his country and how he could help people who needed help.

Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the tenth son of Josiah Franklin, a soap maker, and Abiah Folger. He was born into a Puritan family (Isaacson 2003 p.14). Benjamin’s father had the intention of him becoming a clergyman, but he could not afford the schooling that it required. This is how the printer apprenticeship that molded Ben into his rebellious lifestyle began. Benjamin wanted to write for the paper, but his brother James, his mentor, and the owner of the paper, would not let him. Young Benjamin quickly found a way around this by writing letters under the name “Silence Dogood” (ushistory.org p.1). The letters were instantly popular and the true identity of Silence Dogood was a sought after mystery. When Ben admitted he was writing the letters as Silence Dogood, his popularity grew and it created a division between his brother and him. Around this time Ben and family also had a run in with religious leaders leading to James arrest. Still very young, Ben had to grow up fast because he was the only one left to run the newspaper. During this time and later in life in Philadelphia Benjamin showed his great work ethic he likely learned early on from the hard working Puritans he was raised around.

Benjamin appears to change his religious views between Christianity and Deism several times in his life. Deism is “ A religion whose followers believe in a God who created the universe, established its rules of behavior, set it going, left, and hasn’t been seen since”(religioustolerance.org). Benjamin must have showed this work ethic and some holy beliefs as a child because of the intent to send him to school to become a clergyman. Around the time he rebelled and wrote letters as Silence Dogood he was also rebelling against his religion as he began studying Deism. His early journey into Deism did not last extremely long, but he never truly returned into a complete Christian belief. Franklin did not accept the Christian belief that God was always here and could always intervene nor did he accept the Deist belief that God created the universe and completely left. Franklin’s belief was that God created the world, and was still here but only rarely intervened with what was happening here. He often wrote prayers and even called for a prayer at the Constitutional Convention in July 1987 (Fea 2011 p.1). This was late into his life but very shortly before his death he wrote a letter explaining his religious views. He said “I believe in one God, Creator of the Universe. That He governs it by His Providence. That he ought to be worshipped.” but he also stated he doubted the divinity of Jesus although he thought he had greatest set of morals anyone had ever seen. Ultimately I believe his view of Deism prevailed in his mind, based off of his actions to do good things for people purely for the purpose of just being a good person.

I have a great respect for Benjamin Franklin for his inventions and general things he did to help people. His inventions were made to help people which he believed was really what religion should be about. While most leaders around the world were concerned with religion, Benjamin Franklin was working on ways to assist people.

First of all, he had a couple of significant inventions that helped the well being of people. One of those inventions is the bifocal glasses. With the bifocal glasses people no longer needed two sets of glasses, one for distance and one for reading. With one purchase of the bifocals someone could use the same pair for both and not worry about the hassle of keeping up with both pairs.

His next invention that had great impact on people’s life is the Franklin stove. The Franklin stove was truly an innovational way to heat homes in colonial times. The iron design of this stove provided more heat to homes with less smoke than the typical fireplace gave off. It also required much less wood to burn. The iron design also allowed the stove to give off heat long after the fire had already burned out (ushistory.or/franklin/science/stove). With this invention he made it possible for people to heat their houses for longer with less fuel.

He contributed several great things to the city of Philadelphia as well. He was among the first to push for the streets to be lit up at night for safety purposes. He was integral in cleaning up the cities streets and the area around the city. After realizing how sick people in the city were, he brought in doctors to create the Pennsylvania Hospital (ushistory.org). Philadelphia was fire prone at the time, so he created the Philadelphia Contribution for Insurance Against Loss by Fire to help those who lost their homes in fires.

Finally, and most importantly the role he played in making the United States happen. Franklin played a large part in getting the French on board to help with the American revolution. He helped another Deist, Thomas Jefferson, write the Declaration of Independence. He believed becoming an independent nation would help the people of the colonies.

In conclusion, I believe Benjamin Franklin’s Deist beliefs led to several of his contributions that helped people. His belief that being a good person was the most important part of religion is something most religions believe is important. To him though it was the sole reason to do things.

The innate curiosity that humans possess have helped solve problems to a plethora of different issues for thousands of years. While curiosity will never be the sole instigator to some of the most infamous inventors in human history, it definitely played a significant factor in the critical thinking devoted to the mechanical and technological evolution that inventions need to keep a modern-day society functioning. An almost ancient creation that benefits more than half of the human race today is that of eyeglasses, or in Benjamin Franklin’s case, the bifocal lens.

One of the most influential and memorable men of his time, Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1706. In British America, a time before the colonies declared independence, Franklin practiced his hands-on skills as a young printer on the road, eventually ending up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he grew to exceed expectations in business and become famous for his Poor Richard’s Almanac (Bulliet et al, 2013, p. 578). While Franklin played a critical role in creation of historical institutions, such as the Philadelphia Free Library and the University of Pennsylvania, he also contributed to the scientific field via publication of his 1751 paper, ‘Experiments and Observations on Electricity’ (Bulliet et al, 2013, p. 578). One could speculate Franklin’s background as a young printer helped fuel his curiosity for tinkering with mechanics well into his adult life, as his inventions of the notorious lightning rod and wood-burning stove would easily demonstrate. However, of all his creations, Franklin’s engineering of bifocal glasses stood the test of time as most practical for use in the modern era.

As mentioned, the much-needed upgrade in spectacles during the late 18th century came from Benjamin Franklin’s ingenious invention of dual lenses in a single frame. At this time in human history, it was impossible to correct one’s vision with laser-based surgery, forcing individuals who suffered from near-sightedness (myopia) and far-sightedness (hyperopia) to carry two different pairs of glasses (Petroski, 2013, p. 337). Each of those eyeglasses came with a different type of lens to adapt to one visual impairment over another when deemed necessary. As one can imagine, having to constantly switch between pairs of eyeglasses to function normally in everyday life would prove inconvenient as well as annoying. Franklin addressed and solved this troublesome issue in society by engineering a pair of glasses with dual lenses, split horizontally across the middle of the glass. Henry Petroski, author of ‘Engineering: The Evolution of Eyeglasses’, describes the design of the eyeglasses in context as the upper portion of Franklin’s new lens carried the “least convex for distant objects” to assist with far-sightedness, while the bottom portion held the “most convex for reading” and helped with near-sightedness (Petroski, 2013, p. 337). This design, addressing both visual impairments in a single pair glasses, was truly the beginning of the bifocal lens, all thanks to Benjamin Franklin.

However, not all of the credit for this invention should be given to Franklin. Many speculate that because Benjamin Franklin was the first to create bifocal lenses, it must also mean he created the first “real” pair of glasses, but that simply is not the case. After all, the practice of using a piece of glass to magnify an object has been around since the year 1000 (Petroski, 2013, p. 335). Olden-day scribes, scholars, and those with similar backgrounds would use spherical segments—objects they would call “reading stones”—to aid with long hours of reading and study (Petroski, 2013, p. 335). Petroski continues to explain that these objects would be similar to “what today we might term a frameless magnifying glass or plain glass paperweight” (Petroski, 2013, p. 335).

In addition to the use of these early clarity aids, there are a few more intelligent individuals credited with the evolution of the wearable eyeglasses. Edward Rosen, a classicist turned scientist, graduated from the College of the City of New York in 1926 (Petroski, 2013, p. 334). Earning a position to lecture at the college after his graduation, Rosen continued to further his doctoral education. Urged by his advisor to study the works of Copernicus, Rosen was eventually led to investigate the works and history of lenses and optics, publishing an article in the Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences rightfully named ‘The Invention of Eyeglasses’ (Petroski, 2013, p. 334). This profound article, according to Rosen, confidently dated the origin of the invention of eyeglasses somewhere in Tuscany, Italy between 1280 and 1285 (Petroski, 2013, p. 335). However, because the patent system would not be developed in Italy until the 15th century, the only way to maintain a monopoly over one’s own invention was to keep it as secret as possible (Petroski, 2013, p. 335). That said, that did not keep others, like St. Catherine monastery’s own friar, Alessandro Spina, from “reverse engineering” early versions of spectacles (Petroski, 2013, p. 335).

Interestingly, regardless of the popularity of the eyeglasses, some at this age in history would still believe that using glasses prevented understanding of the world accurately in a visual sense. As an article entitled ‘Spectacles in the Muslim World: New Evidence from the Mid-Fourteenth Century’ would theorize, humans were once thought to be able to accurately see the world around them due to the human eye emanating rays that would reach out to other objects, thus letting the items in question be visible (Mazor and Hershkovits, 2013, p. 293). With that theory, it was presumed that glasses unnaturally bent these invisible rays coming outward from the eye, due to the lenses in the frames, allowing the mind to translate the bent visual stimulus inaccurately (Mazor and Kershkovits, 2013, p. 293). One could reason why this unnatural alteration was seen as taboo, as the thought behind eyeglasses was believed to damage the function of the human eye on a permanent level rather than give any type of assistance.

However, over time, more research eventually showed evidence to counter that of the prior theoretical fear of glasses. Following the comprehension of the human eye’s true function, which is to receive light that bounces off objects at an infinite number of degrees to create imagery, the fear of the light-bending lenses in glasses slowly disappeared (Mazor and Kershkovits, 2013, p. 294). Along with the safe access to lenses from the medical community, the comfort and acceptance behind the invention itself spread among all corners of the world, creating a new demand for the spectacles that had never been known before.

As previously mentioned, glasses have evolved to carry amazing impacts in today’s modern society thanks to the culmination of many curious minds, including Benjamin Franklin’s. A study on textile factory workers in Durban, South Africa shows that productivity increased following vision correcting lenses given to those in need (Chan et al, 2017, p. 1). Not only did the speed and productivity levels increase for these factory workers, but accumulated stress and anxiety from poor vision had been reduced, especially in the quality assurance officers and office workers (Chan et al, 2017, p. 4). In addition, the ocular support granted by the corrective lenses improved physical posture and reduced constant pain, as the factory employees didn’t have to crank their neck or body in strange ways to get their target into focus (Chan et al, 2017, p. 4).

Similar results of the benefits in introducing glasses have been reported in the educational system as well (Ma et al, 2014, p. 6), but that does not mean that the resources exist for all institutions. An article published in the British Medical Journal within recent years explains that poor vision is the most common impairment affecting school aged children, taking into account about 48% of all children aged 5 to 9 years old within India (Ma et al, 2014, p. 1). In China itself, the article provides similar accounts as “The leading and most easily remedied cause of visual impairment (visual acuit)’. Even though adequate eyeglasses are not common place or cheap everywhere in the world, this does not stop the advancement in care or attention by medical professionals towards this issue. An article from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) is one of many pieces of research that presses awareness of the increasing visual impairment. “Vision loss and blindness are among the top 10 disabilities in the United States, causing substantial social, economic, and psychological effects, including increased morbidity, increased mortality, and decreased quality of life” (Kirtland et al, 2015, p. 513). This article stresses the importance of detecting visual disabilities as early and as quickly as possible, as well as treat these issues with the correct lenses or procedures.

The advancement in medical technology, knowledge, and engineering will continue to alter Franklin’s bifocal creation into gear that suits the human race for years to come. Contact lenses—frame-free alternatives—are one such evolution to the invention, with an estimated 40.9 million U.S. adults using them daily (Cope et al, 2015, p. 866). There has even been a pair of glasses developed that contain lenses filled with a liquid membrane, allowing the user to turn knobs on the sides of the frame to adjust the pressure and its optical power (Petroski, 2013, p. 337). In comparison to that of the relatively recent creation of the trifocal lens, the liquid membrane option would appear to provide the user with a sense of futuristic advancement that is seen in fiction movies.

A fair amount of curiosity follows those who continue to upgrade and improve inventions created so many years ago. In regards to the standard pair of eyeglasses in today’s modern world, the evolution and availability of this visual aid will only continue to advance, pushed forward by demand and necessity. Being able to see someone smile, taking the emotional impact as well as the clarity into account, as well as interpret written word accurately, is a gift those without visual impairments wouldn’t fully understand. It is just one of the many reasons why the invention of eyeglasses has had such a profound effect on modern-day living today. Without curious minds—like Benjamin Franklin’s, who questioned the practicality of creation in human life—future modifications to the eyeglasses will never evolve to become more than just separate models separated by a variation in style and color.

Through the centuries, nature was used in literature to symbolize the way our ancestors used to live. Times might change, but human’s connection to the world of nature would always stay the same and show their concerns with life and death, the beginning and the ending. The theme of nature especially deeply relates to the life of native Americans. This Term paper will address the aspect of symbolism in relationship with nature in as suggested in Red Jacket’s Indian Speech with Benjamin Franklin’s Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America.

Both works of Franklin and Red Jacket have a common outstanding explanation of ancient hunting as well as a short depiction of spirits that provided the people with crops to seed and animals to hunt. Both authors tend to use those segments to stand their motives while explaining that this is the order; this is how things should go in their understanding. Although both authors used the same theme in the same character in their works, the emotional tone of the two fragments is very different. Franklin decided to choose a more informative and engaging tone of telling to emphasize the righteousness of the deeds of his people and the mercifulness of the spirit.

Moreover, Franklin portrays the story of the spirit of nature almost in the form of a legend. Red Jacket’s speech, on the other hand, resembles religious texts, is heavily emotional and filled with the love and warmth of The Great Spirit. To further analyze the symbolism of people’s relationship with nature, the paper will compare Benjamin Franklin’s work to Red Jacket’s speech in terms of various rhetorical devices like metaphors and emotive use of language.

Around 1730, Benjamin Franklin listed thirteen virtues which he said gave a meaningful direction for a fulfilled life. These virtues included tranquility, humility, chastity, cleanliness, moderation, justice, sincerity, industry, frugality, resolution, order, silence and temperance. Benjamin Franklin further divided these virtues into those that dealt with personal behavior and those that dealt with traits related to social character. Chastity as a social trait implied in Benjamin’s viewpoint that indulgence in or pursuit of sexual activity should aim at getting offspring and for health. In his viewpoint sexual activity should not bring about any weakness or dullness or disturb other’s reputation and peace.

Society today does not attach much value to chastity as a virtue in the present times since it has now become difficult to associate chastity with the current practices of mankind except that it may sometimes relate to certain relationships with religious beliefs. In the sexualized society of today, people perceive the promotion of chastity as old fashioned and a formal kind of impractical practice. Promoting chastity and adopting it as a way of life does not gel with people’s values systems now, who think of it as quite a traditional way of life and consequently few people follow such advice.

Society can improve virtue in regard to chastity by looking at it from a different view point. People should refrain from viewing sexuality as the frequency with which a man has sex or the number of women with whom he sleeps, and should focus on a man’s sexuality in relationships that prove to be meaningful in life. There is no reason to believe that sex in the present context has linkages and associations with something sacred; people must look at it with an attitude of having a special experience. By making it special, it implies that people should place certain boundaries around sex in order to make it a cherished activity, and not what one can go and purchase for pleasure. Although the extents of such boundaries do vary from person to person, stronger reasons warrant the prevention of sex beyond a certain limit.

Society needs to place more value on virtue in encouraging chastity in the present-day context to enable people to understand the advantages and meaning behind what Benjamin Franklin intended to advise. Most people understand that casual sex does not prepare one for sex in an authentic and real relationship. A healthy sexual relationship essentially requires effective communication and the willingness to sacrifice one’s pleasure for the cause of the partner. On the other hand, casual sex entails no real communication between partners and becomes merely an act to satisfy each other’s sexual urge and the real pleasure of sex remains absent. If people save their sexual activity for marriage, it will lead to a more fulfilled life.

While chastity is a virtue became much relevant during the time of Benjamin Franklin, it has become less applicable in the modern world in view of the vast changes that have occurred in the human value systems. Permissiveness has gained momentum quite fast amongst almost all cultures in the world, and the extent of such immorality has increased to such an extent that it requires a check in order to bring better quality of relationships. Chastity as defined by Benjamin Franklin makes it difficult to practice in its entirety in the modern world in terms of limiting sexual relationships for purposes of having offspring and health; certainly, there is a possibility for improvements in moral values to bring about better quality of relationships that result in building higher levels of moral character in human beings.

References

Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, 1996, Dover Publications.

Introduction

Benjamin Franklin drew a satirical cartoon and woodblock titled Join or Die in 1754. At the onset of the French and Indian War, it was intended to unify the American colonies against the French and their Native allies. It is claimed to be the earliest political cartoon advocating colonial union. The depiction of the snake sliced into bits is said to have been created by Franklin, but the painter is unidentified (Kulikoff, 2017). The humor in this cartoon turned out to be an example of how the colonies are divided in the form of a snake. This work was written with the aim of reviewing the political cartoon and its context.

Benjamin Franklin’s Cartoon Join or Die

Franklin intended to bring the colonists together in order to fight the French and their Native American allies, as well as persuade the British government to establish a unified colonial administration in America. He did not accomplish his goal, but the image was so compelling that it took a life of its own (Cammiade, 2020). Colonists used it as a sign of their solidarity against British authority a few years later, in the run-up to the Revolutionary War.

The name of the artist who made the image is unknown; however, it is possible that the notion was inspired by an artwork in a French book that depicted a snake sliced in half with the tagline. Although it was intended for the French and Indian War, Join or Die became a potent emblem of colonial resistance to the Stamp Act and other British taxation, which consequently resulted in the Revolutionary War (Cammiade, 2020). It is perhaps one of the most famous pictures of colonial attitudes toward the British. When the image and tale appeared in other colonial journals, Franklin’s message touched a nerve.

Furthermore, the chopped snake image might have been inspired by the legend of the time, such as the notion that a snake chopped into parts could be resurrected if its different parts were reconnected before sunset. Because snakes lose their skins, the metaphor of a snake might have symbolized resurrection or regeneration, or it could have been based on the folklore of the period that said a snake torn into pieces could be resurrected if the fragments were rejoined before sunset.

The message of the political cartoon is to show the disunity of the Thirteen Colonies during the French and Indian War. Franklin used the drawing to achieve a specific political goal. He was planning to attend the Albany Congress with other colonial officials to debate how to cope with the mounting military danger posed by the French and their Native American allies. Franklin believed that the provinces needed to form a powerful alliance (Cammiade, 2020). He envisaged a united colonial administration that could charge taxes and establish a military overseen by a committee of members from each colony and led by a British monarch-appointed President General.

The dismembered snake cartoon was quickly republished by more than a half-dozen other colonial publications, giving Franklin’s persuasive effort a boost. He delivered a copy of the cartoon, along with his commentary, to Richard Partridge, a Quaker businessman who served as colonial Pennsylvania’s ambassador in London (Kulikoff, 2017). However, he did appear to want to reach out to a different prominent readership on the other side of the Atlantic.

Conclusion

To summarize, Franklin’s goal was to unite the colonists against the French and their Native American allies, as well as encourage the British government to establish a united provincial organization in America. The sliced snake picture could have been influenced by a famous tale of the period, such as the idea that a snake cut into pieces could be revived if the pieces were reunited before sunset. The eight-pieced snake in the picture represented the British colonies, and Franklin’s message resonated when the graphic and story appeared in other colonial publications.

References

Cammiade, A. (2020). Franklin and the War of American Independence. Routledge.

Kulikoff, A. (2017). Benjamin Franklin and the Theater of Empire.Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, 141(1), 77-90.

Mountain Lake PBS. (2009). Passage minute – Join or die [Video]. YouTube.

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin was written by Benjamin Franklin himself, though not finished. The book itself is very interesting to read and bears huge importance as being a rich heritage of the American nation. Of course, being a famous inventor, philosopher, scientist, and businessman, it is completely understandable why he is being somewhat biased and self-praising. Therefore, let me be completely objective and present one of Benjamin Franklin’s life events from the perspective of his brother. The following narration will be written as if James Franklin told it from his own point of view.

From the very childhood, Ben was a kid who was keen on reading. Every cent that has appeared in the pocket would be spent on books. He was a child of a brilliant intellect though taken from school at the age of ten and brought to work as an apprentice as all children in our family were.

Having a restless way of life, Ben eventually has grown reasonable and decided to become a printer since I returned from England to set up a business in Boston. Despite his utmost hankering for the sea, our father insisted upon Ben’s becoming my apprentice.

It is not that I was jealous of my younger brother’s writing skills, but evidently, I spent much time collecting press and letters in order to get my business going well; while Ben was so finely accomplishing his work obligations as if he was doing it for his entire life though he was only fifteen. Hence, as soon as I noticed a wonderful product of Ben’s visiting Mr. Mathew Adams’ library, it would be silly and unprofitable not to encourage him to compose occasional ballads.

In 1720 or 1721 I successfully started to print a newspaper called The New England Courant though my friends tried hard to discourage me from doing that. There already was a newspaper in America that had already gained popularity. My brother Ben, devotedly accompanying me in all the undertakings, was assigned to carry the printed sheets through the customers in the street. I thought since he was so responsible and much involved in our new occupation the obligation, I imposed on him was just the one to fit in order to make show how important his place in the newspaper is.

Speaking of the work that had to be done to increase The New England Courant’s popularity, my friends used to amuse themselves with writing for the paper. As I found out later on, Benjamin was looking forward to doing so either. However, he was just a boy and most likely did not have the relevant writing experience to undertake such a responsibility that helped the newspaper gain credit among readers. So, the deceitful little brother began writing the pieces under another name Mrs. Silence Dogood. I wonder if there was at least any hesitation in his brilliant head before he decided to do so against my decline.

As a result of one of those articles, I have been taken to prison for a month for giving offense to the Assembly. Oh, I wish I just knew who the author of that masterpiece was! Subsequently, after my discharge, the House ordered: ‘James Franklin should no longer print the paper called the New England Courant.’ Having a strong feeling of disappointment and my entire life career’s downfall, the circumstances forced me to make Benjamin the head of the paper for several months under respective conditions, of course.

Being too saucy and provoking, Benjamin made me go around the town’s printing-houses and prevented my further employment.

Works Cited

Franklin,B. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Paperback – 1996. Print.

Robert Middlekauff’s book “Franklin and His Enemies” from 1996 provides a unique look at the relationships of Benjamin Franklin. While the majority of the book is dedicated to people he had strong disagreements with, there is an early section dedicated to the friendships he built over the years. His list of friends was extensive and contained people not only from the upper classes. He knew philosophers, merchants, scientists, and a variety of other people from distinctly unique backgrounds. The book shows that despite negative relationships with his opponents, he was also capable of making loyal friendships. Nevertheless, his enemies were also numerous. The book portrays Thomas Penn as the main antagonist to Franklin. They both are described to be in a mutual state of hate for each other.

The issue that started this negative relationship is the opposition of Penn to Franklin’s desire for democracy. Penn was the sole autocratic proprietor of the Pennsylvania Colony and had no intention of ending his control over it. This created a power struggle with Penn and Franklin with neither refusing to give up. The anger that Penn felt towards Franklin transferred to his distrust and opposition to the Constitution. Penn was supported by William Smith who anonymously wrote the following after one of Franklin’s altercations in the region: “[Franklin] is a very bad man, or one delirious with rage, disappointment, and malice.”¹ This sentiment was echoed in the region as his actions angered a large portion of the Pennsylvanian population. While this was decidedly the most hated person in Franklin’s mind, others were also important.

The book covers Franklin’s deep admiration of England and its subsequent change into hatred. The Revolutionary War and the brutality of the British army during that conflict forced Franklin to change his opinion of the country and English people as a whole. The change of mind that he experienced was so great that it is difficult to believe that these were the beliefs of the same person only a few years apart. However, the book mentions another possible reason for the quick change of mind. While Benjamin Franklin had a strong desire for democracy and independence from British rule, his son did not share his views. When the revolutionary war started, he chose to stay on the side of the English.

This event must have been devastating for Franklin and could bring a lot of self-reflection as a result of which he abandoned his beliefs about England. The British became enemies to him as a whole, with no distinction between individual people. However, Franklin soon found a different metropolitan country to love. He lived in France for a period during which he found new friends and developed a lot of successful political relationships. He highly valued the company of women throughout his life, and in France, he met Margaret Stevenson and her daughter Polly who spent a lot of time with him during his stay. The author makes sure to point out that despite this, their relationship was not intimate as Franklin was already in his 70s when he arrived in France for the first time.

Despite all of the positive outcomes of his stay, Franklin also created new enemies. Moreover, they were people who were very close to him. Arthur Lee, Ralph Izard, and John Adams had several disagreements with Franklin. The book describes Lee in the following fashion: “Lee felt about quiet the same way nature felt about a vacuum, and the remainder of the year noise abounded between his lodgings in Paris and Franklin’s in Passy.”² Their arguments with Franklin were loud, but as with John Adams and Izard, he regarded “them with some serenity, as he might have regarded wayward children”³ as the author states based on his research on the topic. His successes in France and connections that he made led to his associates becoming either jealous or mistrusting of him. Their fears seem more or less unfounded based on his future actions.

The main arguments of the book do not lie in the fact that he had enemies. Instead, it shows a much more human side of his personality. When viewed from the broad picture, Benjamin Franklin is often portrayed in a manner that does not allow for any negative emotions or any emotions at all in some circumstances. However, he was a real person who was able to have a true passion both in his times of love and anger towards people around him. This is why the chapter about his friendships was so prominent. It showcased his capacity to make both friends and enemies. These emotions were not limited to individuals because his early love and subsequent hate of England were as real as his relationships with human beings.

Conclusion

The book portrays a much more human picture of Benjamin Franklin than the reader often expects. His weaknesses and faults are as clear in the text as his virtues and strengths. By showing the relationships between Franklin and his opponents, the author creates a complete image of him as a person.

Bibliography

Middlekauff, Robert. Benjamin Franklin and His Enemies. University of California Press, 1996.

Footnotes

1. Robert Middlekauff, Benjamin Franklin, and His Enemies, (University of California Press, 1996), 103.
2. Robert Middlekauff, Benjamin Franklin, and His Enemies, (University of California Press, 1996), 162.
3. Ibid., 212.

Introduction

Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, was closely related to the Enlightenment movement in the colonies. American Enlightenment was a product of the intellectual and technological discoveries made in Europe in the 17th century (Brinkley et al. 77). In particular, Enlightenment promoted ideas of rational thought and the power of the human mind. Thinkers, philosophers, and scientists encouraged people to rely on themselves, pursue education, and engage in matters of politics and government. Benjamin Franklin took a rightful place among the most prominent figures of the American Enlightenment by making several vital contributions to the movement.

Discussion

Most importantly, Franklin directly participated in knowledge dissemination as he saw the importance of learning for civic life. In particular, he established the Junto, a discussion society where the members could debate on any subject related to morals, politics, and natural philosophy (Franklin 56). Franklin also wrote and published Poor Richard’s Almanac, which was well-received by the public. Almanacs provided residents of the colonies with medical advice, useful agricultural and navigational information, and practical wisdom (Brinkley et al. 77). Franklin’s publication was entertaining, useful, and popular among the people, selling over 10,000 copies annually (Franklin 88). However, Franklin made his most valuable contribution to knowledge and education in 1749, when he opened the Academy of Philadelphia (109). The Academy quickly grew into an essential public education institution and later became a part of the University of Pennsylvania. As such, Benjamin Franklin established places where generations of Americans could learn and acquire practical knowledge.

Furthermore, Franklin promoted a secular mindset — he celebrated the power of the human mind and was relatively skeptical toward religion, but at the same time, he adhered to the idea of religious tolerance. Franklin “never doubted the existence of Deity” but also thought that religious disputes can make people “unfriendly to one another” (75). Therefore, he advocated for mutual respect between the members of various religious denominations. Franklin followed the principle of religious tolerance during the establishment of the Academy, as he appointed “one of each sect” to Academy trustee positions (109). In this regard, he set an example of tolerance and demonstrated that differences in religious beliefs do not disrupt the common cause.

In addition, Franklin challenged the ethical dominance of religion by presenting his own set of moral values. He created a list of thirteen desirable virtues, which can be perceived as an allusion to the Ten Commandments. According to Franklin, a virtuous person should be calm, honest, and humble, have a strong will, exhibit moderation, and avoid injustice, laziness, and trifling conversations (78). In addition, Franklin described his journey to mastering the virtues and explained in detail how he tracked the progress and faults on his path to spiritual perfection (79). Essentially, he listed the personality traits of an enlightened individual and offered guidance on how one can achieve them.

Conclusion

Finally, Benjamin Franklin was a notable scientist of his time. Franklin did not limit his participation in the Enlightenment movement to public advocacy and spiritual support. He actively engaged in science, published scholarly papers, and set experiments. For instance, Franklin’s kite experiment confirmed the sameness of lightning with electricity, while most scientists of his time believed otherwise (Brinkley et al. 79). In this regard, he directly contributed to scientific discovery, as scholars used Franklin’s research to develop lightning rod, a device that could ground electricity of lightning (Franklin 145). Given these facts, one can claim that Benjamin Franklin contributed to the American Enlightenment as a patron of arts, education, and science, an advocate for religious freedom, a creator of secular life ethics, and a practicing scientist.

Works Cited

Brinkley, Alan, et al. The Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American People. 9th ed., McGraw Hill Education, 2018.

Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. The Pennsylvania State University, 1998.

In general, the period of the Enlightenment, also called Age of Reason, is characterized by the international spread of scientific ideas and rigorous philosophical and political discourse. While European Enlightenment was formed on the ideas of skepticism, individualism, and reason, American Enlightenment adopted the ideas of tolerance, deism, republicanism, liberation, and scientific progress as well. Scientists and philosophers aimed to perceive the nature of things and classify knowledge about the world through experiments and with the use of reasoning and critical thinking. They emphasize the importance of human responsibility instead of divine intervention. All in all, the Enlightenment helped limit the influence of the Church, defend human rights, and establish science as a reliable source of knowledge. During this period, philosophers, scientists, and other thinkers corresponded with each other, founded and joined scientific societies, and publish scientific journals in order to raise people’s awareness of humanity and the importance of reason. At the same time, it goes without saying that as a prominent American printer, inventor, and scientist, Benjamin Franklin considerably contributed to the American Enlightenment of the 18th century.

As a person with a passion to reading since his childhood, Franklin was a person whose ability to perceive and spread knowledge made him a contributor to the Enlightenment. While his father had a polemic divinity-related library, its books cannot satisfy Franklin’s anxiety for knowledge (Franklin 21). In addition, his desire to improve his language and the ability to defend his point of view on the basis of clear arguments determined his profession of a printer. It allowed Franklin to publish books and found newspapers serving as a reported, editor, and author. For him, printing was regarded as an ability spread information, introduce new ideas, and educate Americans for the purposes of humanism. Moreover, in his works, he emphasized the responsibility of every person for his actions – for instance in order to achieve moral perfection, Franklin elaborated on a particular plan to follow (Franklin 146). As a man of the Enlightenment, he again demonstrated the belief in a human’s power to control himself rather than God’s providence.

As an active follower of the Enlightenment’s ideas, Franklin contributed to their introduction in the traditional for that period way. In particular, he maintained communication with other philosophers and scientists worldwide through correspondence and founded his own scientific club Junto in which various ideas were discussed before their publication for the improvement of civic life (Franklin 169). In 1749, Franklin opened an academy for the civil education of youth in Pennsylvania (Franklin 217). It was peculiar as the first non-religious educational facility that focuses on modern languages, arts, and sciences for people to become successful public servants, businessmen, and active citizens in general.

Finally, it is impossible not to mention Franklin’s contribution in the form of his scientific discoveries. Being well acquainted with the scientific works of prominent scientists, he conducted his own experiments and introduced inventions, Thus, through his experiment with a kite, he proved that lightning was a specific form of electricity. Among his other discoveries are the lightning rod for the protection of facilities against lightning strikes, the Franklin stove, bifocals, and other items that are still used by millions of people on a daily basis.

To conclude, it is possible to state that as a genuine man of the Enlightenment, Benjamin Franklin substantially contributed to the multidimensional development of American society. As a philosopher and scientists, he developed ideas and discussed them with peers from all over the world. At the same time, as a printer, he used his opportunities to distribute knowledge and spread awareness of the importance of education, science, and human rights.

Work Cited

Franklin, Benjamin. Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Henry Holt and Company, 1916. Project Gutenberg.

The American Enlightenment is a period in colonial America in the 18th and 19th centuries when the ideas of the European Enlightenment became the foundation for the preparation of the American Revolution. These ideas were focused on creating a favorable atmosphere in society and promoted religious tolerance, education, and respect for science. One of the leading figures of American education is Benjamin Franklin, a writer, scientist, and philosopher. He made a considerable contribution to the formation of the ideals of the American Enlightenment, being at the same time an inventor, scientist, politician, and diplomat.

As for scientific inventions, Benjamin Franklin could design bifocal glasses and a lightning rod as a brilliant scientist. In general, his interest in the study of electricity attracted him to the invention of the lightning rod. He was interested in charting and was the first person to discover the course of the Gulfstream and gave it its name. Benjamin Franklin was engaged in charitable activities and actively developed American civil society. These ideas were general characteristics of the era since the American Enlightenment was based not on philosophical research but practical benefits. The figures of the American Enlightenment tried to benefit their compatriots by promoting European values ​​and an ethic of the good (Benjamin Franklin: Enlightenment Archetype, the Atlas Society | Ayn Rand, Objectivism, Atlas Shrugged). That is why Benjamin Franklin opened the University of Pennsylvania and the first fire department.

Benjamin Franklin valued the ideals of religious tolerance, respect for people for each other, and a thrifty attitude to things. All this combined in him and turned him into a hardworking diplomat who tried for the good of America. His ethics became popular precisely due to the diplomatic activity that began in Great Britain when he began to personify for the first time several colonies (Franklin). Subsequently, his diplomatic successes turned into a victory for the American Revolution since he could enlist France’s support in advance. He was the American ambassador and minister in France and enjoyed great prestige there.

Despite his popularity in the UK, he was the head of a newspaper known for its critical commentary on the British Parliament. Benjamin Franklin boldly criticized in his newspaper in Philadelphia the royal foundations and the unprecedented authority of Great Britain. It showed him not only as a brave man but later made him a wealthy printer. Thus, with his Pennsylvania Gazette, he made a considerable contribution to the printing business in America, giving journalism a critical reflection on surrounding authorities.

Benjamin Franklin created the first national postal network after gaining experience as a postmaster in Philadelphia. In parallel with this, he led the 1769 American Philosophical Society (Bwellington). The ideas of European Enlightenment and the freedom of society did not immediately attract him. He was a regular part of the slave system, trading and buying enslaved people. However, he became an important figure for African Americans, supporting their integration into European society. Benjamin Franklin became an outspoken fighter for the rights of African Americans and contributed to the spread of education for them.

Benjamin Franklin, being a highly educated man, contributed considerably to the development of American education in many areas. He contributed to the study and drawing of maps and did a lot of research on electricity. The results of these studies were the creation of a lightning rod and bifocal glasses. Benjamin Franklin was sincerely devoted to the ideals of industry and thrift and became a philanthropist. He showed himself as a courageous diplomat in relations with Great Britain and France, enlisting the latter’s support. He contributed to the American Enlightenment as a printer who criticized the British government in his newspaper. Benjamin Franklin became the founder of the national postal network of America and acted as an advocate for the rights of African Americans.

Works Cited

Benjamin Franklin: Enlightenment Archetype, the Atlas Society | Ayn Rand, Objectivism, Atlas Shrugged. Web.

Bwellington. “Brinkley Textbook.”Slide Share, Web.

Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography. Independently published, 2020.