Benjamin Franklin

             Benjamin Franklin, The Enlightenment & Revolution
             One of the greatest statesman in the American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin, was not always the prestigious figure that he is now known to be. As a young boy, he was taken out of school to spend long strenuous hours laboring in his father's soap shop. Franklin's life is the original "American Dream," growing up in a poor family, with his hard work and dedication he was able to change his life and every Americans' to this day and still to come. Yet, controversy surrounds his motivation. Many people believed Franklin to be a selfish and conceited man whose only reason to achieve great things was to gain himself fame and power. However, Franklin's inventions, politics, and actions prove that he was a man of immense respect towards all humanity.
             Besides giving people a way to learn and better themselves as a whole with the library he opened in 1730(Franklin 200). Franklin was also a great inventor, being a man of science. Instead of focusing on himself, he wanted to make everyday tasks easier for the average person. His creations included Swim fins, bifocals. The odometer, and the wood stove. There were many who felt his inventions were a way for Franklin to make a profit and add to his image in the public eye. This can be easily disproved with one act of Franklin's. The lightning rod, Franklin never put a patent on this invention; therefore he made no money from this. Instead he claimed it to be his gift for all of mankind to enjoy and take protection from (Meyer).
             In 1765, the first internal tax on the colonists was passed; it was known as the Stamp Act. This law required colonists to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used; such stamps were required on legal documents and publications (Morgan). The colonists were outraged by the tax, they saw it as an attempt to raise money in the colonies without the approval of the various legi...

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