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Colonies. ” Benjamin Franklin also acquired success from being a writer, printer, man of science, and being a philanthropist. The Inventive mind of Benjamin Franklin produced the well- known Franklin stove, bifocals, carriage and also the public institutions, such as the free library and postal system (Latter 838). Benjamin Franklin was an Intelligent man with a remarkable talent for Inventing things which had a major Influence on eighteenth Century America.
He was appreciated by many followers and his ability to write and invent contributed greatly to American society. Benjamin Franklins father Josiah Franklin was a candle and soap maker and Franklin at the age of 10 was an apprentice for his father’s business. Franklins father desired for young Franklin to obtain a career in service to the church or in the family business of making candles and soap. Benjamin Franklin ATA very young age exhibited a desire to be independent and self-reliant and rebelled against his father’s wishes.
Franklin did not enjoy working as an apprentice to his father’s business and at the age of 12, he instead became an apprentice to his older brother ND learned about the printing business and at the same time he developed his literary skills. Benjamin attended school for a short period of time but due to his family financial hardship, he was unable to complete school. Coming from a poor background Benjamin Franklin was determined to reach success and no obstacles that presented itself on his journey to success was going to inhibit him.
Franklin did not allow financial circumstances to prevent him from pursuing his goal of excelling academically; he continued to educate himself by reading a vast amount of books, ND acquired as much knowledge as he can. Benjamin Franklin abided by certain self-constraints, which would later help him to become the most famous man of his time. At the age of seventeen Franklins desire for independence from his family drove him to leave Boston for Philadelphia. After a year in Philadelphia he relocated and moved to London, where he took a Job at a print shop. Almost two years later, more experienced In the social and economic realties of life, Franklin returned to Philadelphia, where he devoted many years to establishing himself as a printer and helicopters” (Latter 838). Franklin was very successful as a printer and editor of a his own from which he published The Pennsylvania Gazette to which he contributed many essays” (Holman 3). His intentions for the Gazette were to utilize all the knowledge he had acquired and produce the best newspaper possible. Franklin continued writing literary works for quite some time and one of those literary works in which he was famous for was his autobiography.
Benjamin Franklin was all about self improvement, desiring to be the best he can be and making adjustments along the way to advance himself. According to Walter Caisson he states , that “most interesting thing that Franklin invented, and continually reinvented, wash himself. ” In his autobiography, part two he spoke of thirteen virtues that were necessary and desirable to him. The names of the thirteen virtues are: Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Chastity, and Humility.
Franklin states that his intentions are to “acquire the Habituated of all these Virtues… Not by attempting the whole at once, but to fix on one of them at time” (Latter 914). Franklin obviously found fault within himself and he was determined to fix those faults. By him listing these thirteen virtues, he basically had a guideline to follow so that he can become a better person, and he followed the concept on a weekly basis. Benjamin Franklins leadership skills influenced many people of his time and also those of today.
Franklin is considered to be an important individual who contributed to the national heritage of American society. According R. V. Jones he states that, Franklin “has a very special claim as a man of science and sides who had a warm social conscience, deep in loyalties and affection both for the Colonies in which he was born and for the motherland from which his forebears had come. ” Benjamin Franklin was considered as one of the most prominent scientists in America. He gained much fame from his experiments in electricity and a product of his experiments with electricity was the lightening rod.
His inquisitive nature allowed him to explore how many things work and if he found a way to improve on something he would do it. Franklin started out publishing literary works, but his passion for science prevailed much more. As years went on Franklin obtained different positions in his community. According to Jones, Franklin “became a Clerk to the Pennsylvania Assembly, and in 1737 Postmaster at Philadelphia. ” Benjamin Franklin was goal driven, he saw and observed things and desired for there to be a change in the Colonies.
In 1734 he made a proposal to form an American Philosophical Society, which would help in improving Philadelphia. The control center of his new society in which he was President of was in Philadelphia and by it being located there made Philadelphia more advanced than other cities located thin the colonies. This project that he took charge of allowed for the streets of Philadelphia to be paved, cleaned and to be lit. The establishment of this Society started and environment al cleanup that was well needed in Franklins eyes. In the sass’s politics became an active interest for Benjamin Franklin.
According to Holman, he states that “in politics (Franklin) proved very able both as an administrator and as a controversialists” he goes on the say that Franklins “most notable service in home politics was his reform of the postal system; but his fame as statesman rests chiefly on his services in connection with the relations of the Colonies with Great Britain and later with France. ” Franklin was sent to England to England for five years so that the people there can become enlighten to the ministry of England as to Colonial conditions (Holman 4).
He was sent back to England again in 1764 as an ambassador for the colonies, and at this appointed time he was to petition to the King of England, to take back the government out of the hands of proprietors. The Stamp Act of 1765 took Franklin by surprise due to the fact that he as in opposition to it along with the American Colonies. This event that took place made Franklin question if America should disassemble itself from England. Even though he had many colleagues in England, he was growing quite weary of the dishonesty he saw all around him in politics and royal circles.
He took action and proposed a plan to unite the Colonies and he worked diligently towards that goal. Benjamin Franklin had a goal in mind and that was to declare Independence for the Colonies from under England’s rule. Franklin worked on a committee that drafted up he Declaration of Independence, it was signed and passed on July 4th, 1776. This is the day year round that Americans celebrates its Independence from British rule. Benjamin Franklin in his later years was involved with the abolition of slavery.
According to The Journal of Negro History it states that, “of the fathers of the republic who first saw the evils of slavery, none made a more forceful argument against the institution than Benjamin Franklin. ” Franklin had strong views on slavery and thought that it should be done away with. The argument that Franklin made against slavery is hat “a man of a lowly estate himself, could not sympathize with the man who felt that his bread should be wrung from the sweat of another’s brow’ (41). He desired to see this institution of human cruelty to be abolished.
He didn’t see the Justification in having a human being and Africans at that working in the fields producing products for their owner when the owner themselves can perform the same duties. Joseph Downs states that “a reading of Franklins letters and biographies leaves a lasting admiration and respect for the wisdom, human sympathy, intellectual curiosity, wit and diplomacy of the man. Without Benjamin Franklins wisdom, knowledge, intellect and courage to stand in the forefront on the behalf of the American Colonies, the American government, as we know it would not exist.