Perhaps, one of the most quotable men in the United States history is Benjamin Franklin. He was a visionary who coined multitudes of aphorisms such as, “Have you something to do tomorrow? Do it today” and “Industry gives comfort and plenty and respect.” However, his talent was not only limited to his ability to make memorable phrases, he was also a pioneer in inventions from the stove to bifocals to the lighting rod. He is a man who has become known as one of the founding fathers of the United States and who, to this day, graces our hundred dollar bills. Ironically enough, this man who has become engraved as an American national treasure was not always a ferment nationalist, and even felt a sense of loyalty toward ‘the mother country’ of England. …show more content…
He was aware of its culture and often looked towards it for influence and knowledge. In fact, when he was beginning out as writer he reads The Spectator, a British newspaper, and as he states, “About this time I met with an odd volume of the Spectator…I thought the writing excellent, and wished, if possible, to imitate it” (Franklin 11). Knowing the influence that writing had on Franklin’s life, his English admiration must have as well. A lot of what made Franklin so successful, his writing, his printing style, his connections, his ideas for a library and countless others; were acquired in his trips to England or in his admiration for the work produced in the country. However, no one can truly blame Franklin as England was a well established nation with thousands of years of history and culture, and in comparison to the young Americas, it was a goldmine of art and …show more content…
He believed that uniting the colonies and England would lead to a stronger nation. Franklin was sure that having the crown, as a mother country, was not an ailment but rather a powerful helping hand for the colonies. In fact, as he and the colonies grew in independence and self-sufficiency, Franklin and other leaders drew up a proposal to ensure their voice in legislation without being free of the power of the English. He states, “By this plan the general government was to be administered by a president-general, appointed and supported by the crown, a grand council was to be chosen by the representative assemblies” (Franklin 102). However, the English rejected the idea and deemed it too “democratic” and although the proposal was not approved, Franklin still held some levels of patriotism towards Britain. Keeping in mind the high regard he held England it is no wonder he was more so inclined around the time of the Seven Years War to fight alongside the British. He was quick to come up with plans on defense and was efficient in acquiring what was needed in terms of money and defense. He worked closed with Generals and Governors, and was an instrumental part of the war. Franklin was sure to solidify his place as an American who was highly regarded by the English and in a sense might have been due to his pursue of
In America the publication infuriated the colonials against the writers of the letters, while in England it infuriated most people against the men responsible for an entirely unjustifiable divulgence of a private correspondence. A bitter attack was made upon Franklin, which he never forgave. Hitherto he had at any rate believed in the possibility of an honourable adjustment; henceforth he was to be numbered amongst the irreconcilables. The letter incident and the Boston "tea-party" between them had an exasperating effect, which perhaps destroyed the last chance of a peaceful
This Plan failed but it was an important milestone for the colonies because it was the first attempt to change their government and unite the colonies. (Albany Plan) Next off Benjamin Franklin helped draft The Declaration of Independence. This important document told England that the colonies were united with their own government and were no longer to be controlled by the crown. This document also stated that all men are created equal, and stated the rights that all people have.
When he was in the Pennsylvania Assembly, Franklin made a bill demanding the British government to stop bringing felons to Pennsylvania. Franklin even threatened to transport snakes in return to England. In 1753, he was selected as one of the commissioners to meet with the Iroquois Confederacy in Carlisle to renew their alliance. In 1754, Franklin proposed the Albany Plan of Union, which would unify all thirteen colonies under British rule.
The Englishmen in England wants to have a Parliament because they want to be in control. On chapter 4, Morgan also shows us how franklin tried to get rid of the Penn family power, but he fails at it. He tried to get their land tax like everyone else because it was unfair to everyone else. He went to England to use his social skills to get the people of England to tax their land, but it didn’t work. So then he tried to get Pennsylvania to become a royal government, so Franklin could be in power.
With Benjamin Franklin’s ambition to see one day the glorious English Empire shifted to North America, specifically in Pennsylvania and to get rid of the proprietors, he envisages a single community that will embody Englishmen only. For that reason, Franklin is against massive immigration of Germans and the presence of African slaves which will fade the identity of a perfect English Empire. He becomes more optimistic of his vision when the Crown appoints him in 1753 as a postmaster at Williamsburg. Despite all the failures that he encounters from not passing solutions such as colonial union and the Albany Plan, Franklin still maintains his degree of confidence and loyalty to the mother country. Closer to his dream, he has been selected in
Benjamin Franklin was many things – a printer, inventor, scientist, diplomat and an author. Not only did he help draft the Declaration of Independence, he was also one of out Founding Fathers. His elegant writing, wit and wisdom is what he would be remembered for and learned about in out current era. Franklin’s writings during his era was exceptional. He used his works to utilize language to display his varying views on sins and imperfections.
Benjamin Franklin was one of the most successful founding fathers of our nation and helped establish American independence from Great Britain. He was a key member in the development of the political backbone that has shaped this country into what it is today. Benjamin Franklin was one of the most humble and inspirational figures of that time. He was a major factor in the outcome of the war of Independence and in his selfless actions of leaving his family, won the help from the French to assist America in the fight against England. Although Benjamin Franklin never made it to be president he was a leader among his peers. He invented many things that we still use today such as the library, bifocals, and the postal service. He helped
Benjamin Franklin loved Great Britain, but he also had a soft spot in his heart for the colonies. He never wanted to give up on the English government because he thought it was one of the better free ones. He started to turn towards the colonies side, after Parliament humiliated him and classified him as a traitor because he tried to explain to them why the colonies resisted the Stamp Act. Once he was a patriot, he decided to go to France with his grandsons as a diplomat to influence the French to join the war against Britain. And he did very well there. The people of France loved his theories and thoughts about the world, calling him a “modern thinker”. He would spend time at dinner parties and salons to help gain the favor of the French in less formal locations. His opinions affected the French so much that it help pave the way for the French Revolution. The Revolutionary War would have never been won if Franklin would not have influenced the people of France the way he did. Although he had sided with colonies he still wanted the colonies and Great Britain to be friendly to one another, he even said he had wanted the British to be the protecting mother of her young country overseas so they could benefit from each other. (Ben Franklin :: biography) Benjamin Franklin died as one of the most influential people in the revolutionary war, affecting people from Europe to the
He was very loyal to his country and worked very hard to make things fair for them. On Britannica it stated, “Franklin was called before the English House of Commons for questioning. He presented the American position so clearly and reasonably that Parliament was persuaded to repeal the Stamp Act. Franklin was hailed as a great statesman for this accomplishment.” He stopped the Stamp Act which also means that he stopped the British from pretty much stealing their money. The British did not give the colonists a choice on the Stamp Act. They didn’t get to vote on it. Russell Freedman says, “When he tried to repel, Franklin had lost. But he supposed the Stamp Act could be tolerated.” And Lemay talked about how, “He wrote the young Philadelphia patriot Charles Thomson (11 July 1765), “I took every Step in my Power, to prevent the Passing of the Stamp Act,” but “We might as well have hindered the Suns setting.” Out of touch with the mounting American resentment, Franklin accepted defeat.” But in the end, the stamp act was gone and they didn’t have to pay a ton of money for printed paper. This influenced the War because it would give people hope. They knew that someone was on their side with power and knew things would change.
Franklin sought after a way to keep America and England under one empire, but he knew that this would only occur if Britain would cease its oppression of the American people. When it became obvious that the King would not stop his endless taxes and limits on trade, a fight for independence became the only clear way to put an end to it.
In his letter, Franklin expressed his idea that the method of government that was imposed on the Colonies wasn't the right one. Franklin compared the Colonies to Ireland when he said that the Irish wanted to be ruled by the Parlament, but they soon regretted it. He was sure that America would do the same when he wrote, “The Time has been when the Colonies might have been pleas’d with it; they are now indifferent about it; and, if ’tis much longer delay’d, they too will refuse it” (Disputes with America Letter).
In spite of the fact that Franklin was hardly a puritan, he was nevertheless very much a child of the Puritans. This is not displayed merely in his promotion of the virtues, but in his abstaining from excessiveness in eating, drinking, conversation, or whatever. Franklin is strongly influenced with self-governance In numerous ways, this is, to someone coming to it for the first time, a very amazing book. Franklin is, of course, one of the most celebrated Americans who ever lived, and his credentials in a wide arrangement of endeavors are a part of American knowledge and popular history. A great deal of this knowledge and numerous of his accomplishments are missing from this account of his life. He never finished the autobiography, earlier in his life on account of the fact that he was too engaged with what he terms public employment’s, and later in life by virtue of the opium he was taking for kidney stones left him incapable to concentrate adequately. Had Franklin been able to write about every period of his life and all of his achievements, his autobiography would have been one of the most exceptional and outstanding documents every produced. It is astonishingly imperious. However, his record as an office-holder is stained by the use he made of his position to advance his relatives. He was one of the most important statesmen in the new America and was a historical figure who shaped our nations history. He was a very
It is easy to see Benjamin Franklin was no doubt an archetypal American. No one since him has ever had the same amount of success as him. He was a private businessman who made enough money to retire early and to spend the rest of his life in politics. Around this time period only the rich were able to retire early. He was industrious. Franklin continually put forth the idea of the industrious American. He had support from the middle-class who did not care if he was rich but he was a man who was self-made and worked hard. This American attitude was formed early and most of it by him. Franklin was also not judgmental came to decisions and conclusions as a businessman and politician. However, his attitude was non-judgmental with respect to a
Having been born in the first month of the year 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin has been regarded an iconic figure not only in the history of America but as well as the world.1 Although he had a deep passion for reading, he could only manage to attend school for two years. He then joined his brother at the age of 12 in apprenticeship at a shop. At the age of 15 people were reading his very first newspaper in Boston. It is after his letters had become a hit that he declared to be the writer. His brother, James, got furious about his writing so he had to run away to Philadelphia at the age of 17. His love for experiments could be seen at an early age for he carried out an experiment on kites during a lighting storm. This one was in regards to lighting and power. Franklin was a famous politician as well as a civil activist during the Enlightenment Era that took place in North America. He was widely known as he played his role as the Ambassador to France and the effort he made to acquire French military assistance when the American Revolution was ongoing. Among other achievements, Benjamin was among the Founding Fathers that put their signatures for the Declaration of Independence besides helping in the drafting of the United States Constitution. Besides being approachable and self-effacing, Benjamin Franklin was an extremely brilliant person.2 he was first a businessman as well as a scientist although he later got involved in civics and politics.
Benjamin Franklin was one of the first and most famous scientists in America. He was a man of many talents and interests. Franklin was always curios about they way things work, and he always tried to find ways to make them work better. Even though he started out as a published, he was always interested in science. However this interest soon became a passion to Franklin. He even retired from his publishing business to work in a laboratory with his mostly homemade equipment. Throughout his life Benjamin Franklin made many important discoveries and theories which greatly influenced future scientists and inventors.