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Benjamin Franklin´s Involvement in the English Empire Essay

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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 …show more content…

On the other hand, the Stamp Act has a different and a direct effect on the colonies. The objective of the act is to tax legal documents, almanacs, newspapers, playing cards, and nearly every form of paper used in the colonies. This seems to be a threat to the American constitutional rights. Therefore, colonial agents in London and lieutenants Governor oppose to the Stamp Act, including Franklin saying that “It will affect the printers more that anybody”. Franklin, despite his British’s loyalties and love, comes up with an alternative plan for raising revenue instead of taxing legal paper. He proposes a plan that parliament authorize the issuing of paper currency at interest. Franklin knows exactly how his proposed plan will work and assures his fellows by saying that “it would not be an unpleasing one”. This action taken by Franklin to find another option to raise money demonstrates how he has his country of birth’s interest at heart. Unfortunately, his proposal is rejected by Greenville, a chief minister under who’s the Stamp act is planned. But that does not stop him from appealing the plan. However, many colonies such as Pennsylvanian blame Franklin for creating the Stamp Act. Even his home back in America, his wife and relatives are threatened because of the Act. They blame him for framing the

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