Ben Franklin BiographyCritique
In his many careers as a printer, moralist, essayist, civic leader, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, and philosopher, for later generations of Americans he became both a spokesman and a model for the national character. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts on Jan. 17, 1706, into a religious Puritan household. His father, Josiah, was a candlemaker and a skillful mechanic. His mother, Abiah Ben's parents raised thirteen children--the survivors of Josiah's seventeen children by two wives (#1).Franklin left school at ten years old when he was pressed into his father's trade. At twelve Ben was apprenticed to his half brother James, a printer of The New England Courant. He generally absorbed the values and philosophy of the English Enlightenment. At the age of 16, Franklin wrote some pieces for the Courant signed "Silence Dogood," in which he parodied the Boston authorities and society (#3). At one point James Franklin was imprisoned for his liberal statements, and Benjamin carried on the paper himself. Having thus learned to resist oppression, Benjamin refused to suffer his brother's own domineering qualities and in 1723 ran away to Philadelphia (#1).
After a year he went to England, where he became a master printer, sowed some wild oats, amazed the locals with his swimming feats, and lived among inspiring writers of London. In England from 1757 to 1762, Franklin worked to persuade British officials to limit proprietary power in Pennsylvania. He generally absorbed the values and philosophy of the English Enlightenment. Although Poor Richard of the early almanacs was a dim-witted and foolish astronomer, a round character soon replaced him who was a rich source of prudent and clever aphorisms on the value of economy, hard work, and the simple life. These virtues include temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquillity, chastity, and humility. He created a pleasant family-style life at his Craven Street boarding house in London, and began a long friendship and scientific-humorous correspondence with his landlady's daughter, Mary Stevenson. Though in his 80th year and suffering from painful bladder stones, he nonetheless accepted election for three years as president of Pennsylvania and resumed active roles in the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery, the American Philosophical Society, and the University of Pennsylvania. Later that year his famous kite experiment, in which he flew a kite with the wire attached to a key during a thunderstorm, further established that laboratory-produced static electricity was akin to a previously mysterious and terrifying natural phenomenon (#1). He readily signed the declaration, allowing him to become a revolutionist at the age of 70. He enjoyed English social and intellectual life. Many of his quotations and maxims conveyed important truths relevant to modern society. He considered becoming an itinerant teacher of swimming, but when a Quaker merchant by the name of Thomas Denham offered him a clerkship in his store in Philadelphia, he decided to return home (#5). They even formed a voluntary militia (#1).
Common topics in this essay:
University Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia London,
Pennsylvania Gazette,
Leader Scientist,
Philadelphia Apr,
Soon Franklin,
Poor Richard,
Constitutional Convention,
Mary Stevenson,
Declaration Independence,
benjamin franklin,
civic leader,
poor richard's almanac,
franklin wrote,
poor richard's,
pennsylvania gazette,
stamp act,
life ben,
poor richard,
postmaster philadelphia,
pennsylvania assembly,
civic leader scientist,
autobiography writings benjamin,
writings benjamin franklin,
signed declaration allowing,
|
Acceptance Essays
