Benjamin Franklin

Preview Main Ideas: My speech is going to consist of some of his background which lead him to become the person he was, the role he played in U. S history, and some of his inventions that helped us come a long way. Body l. Main Idea: Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, of 1706 and was one of seventeen children. Although Benjamin did not get much schooling, he enjoyed to read and write. He would them become an apprentice to his older brother James, who was a printer, composing pamphlets and selling them to the people. When Ben as only 15, his older brother had his own newspaper but wouldn't allow Ben to write for it.He was only an apprentice. The only way to get on that paper was to make up a name, which was â€Å"Silence Dogood†, and send his letters at night so he remained unknown. After some letters he finally admitted to being the owner of those letters which got James angry and Jealous. Once Benjamin could no longer take his brothers harassment he ran away to Philade lphia in 1723. In Philadelphia Ben found Jobs as a helper for many printers until he finally opened his own business. Once his business icked up and was able to retire, he then focused on science, experiments, and inventions which brings me to my next point.II. Main Idea: Franklin invented many things like bifocals, â€Å"the Franklin stove†, a flexible catheter, an odometer, a lightning rod and many more. He also had important concepts in meteorology and refrigeration. We do not take into consideration that many of these things have influenced other innovations that we have today therefore you must think of these inventions as roots. Many people use glasses to enhance their vision and you can thank Mr. Benjamin Franklin. I'm sure todays stoves and ovens are an evolution of his for all you cooks and bakers out there.People who suffer from kidney stones have to deal with a tremendous amount of pain, and back then the catheters were rigid, but again thanks to Ben with his flexi ble catheter it has eased some pain. Franklin did not necessarily invent the odometer as it dates back to the ancient times but he tweaked it to his own version and attached it by the wheel and rigged it to give him his this invention was placed on top of houses and building so that when lighting hits it oes down the rod connected to wires into the ground making the lighting harmless.And lastly Benjamin Franklin is an important man in political American history Ill. Main Idea: As he got older, politics became an interest to him. Franklin was a colonial representative for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Massachusetts. He soon became a great leader in the American Revolution and started making his way to independence with many other breaking away from Great Britain. Franklin was elected to the Second Continental Congress and worked on a committee of five that elped to draft the Declaration of Independence. Although most of the writing of the Declaration of Independence is Thoma s Jefferson much of the contribution is Franklins. † As said in History. org Benjamin Franklin also helped write the Constitution of the United States which were laws for the new country. He went through a lot along with many other famous American figures to get us to where we are at, in a nation of freedom. Conclusion l. Summary/Recap Main Ideas : I have told you about Franklins a little about Franklins ackground, his inventions, and what he has done to make the country what it is today. Benjamin Franklin At the age of ten, his formal cooling had ended and his new life of self- taught knowledge began. He left Boston and devoted his time to books, becoming his older brother's apprentice In a Philadelphia printing store. By this time outrage against the British control was on an upswing and revolutionary liberal thought was in the air. This atmosphere created a space for innovative and forward thinkers Just like Franklin. Leaders emerged from the rough not because they climbed the verbal ladder to success but because it was necessary to fill the empty rolls of leadership In the new American society.America was calling for a new wave of forward thinkers and untapped potential In the new world's best leaders. Benjamin Franklins life story is a testament to this. His inept potential was arguably not uncommon but the situation and life he was apart of facilitated his rise from humble beginnings to one of the most historically significant American dreamers to date. His autobiography gives in sight to his life. An â€Å"important aspect of the American Dream theme in the Autobiography is the rise from Impotence to importance, from dependence to Independence, from helplessness to power. † O_ A.Leo Lemma 351) Though Benjamin Franklin Is the face of American innovation had he not the support of powerful individuals and progressiveness of the world in which he lived the innovative American environment would have produced another progressive thinker to fuel the flame of progression through innovation equally as renowned to his historical stature. (American Environment at the time provided all supplies needed for a man Like BE to become a legend. ) (America made BE, BE didn't make America. ) Environment- Ben Franklin was a leader not unorthodox to have untraditional educationLife of the normal 18th century colonist was fraught with an uneven match of control from Britain such as the Stamp Act and Tea tax that citizens of the new world were In complete support of break i n relationship from control of Britain. Free market systems were heavily encouraged In the U. S. During this time. The general education of the population of this time was minimal. Young Benjamin was brought up by a humble household who had the goal and aspirations of sending their youngest son to Harvard for the goal of going into the ministry.This fell flat due to finical reasons, UT during this time a formal education was not commonplace. Real ‘higher level' education was just being developed under the new government in the U. S. During the sass's, literacy rates were as high as ever being at 75% of all males and 65% for very uncommon due to modern day rules and regulations but this was definitely not the case in the early sass's. Benjamin Franklin is a great example of the fact that one does not need a formal education to succeed, and also another influential person whom Benjamin Franklin knew during this time also did not have a formal education as Thomas Edison.He ended up being home-schooled primarily and then eventually Joined the railroad at the age of 12, so during this time a formal education was not something that was absolutely necessary. Relationships w/ innovators- flourishing in environment through relationships he was supplied w/ money and power, giving him a sense of worth and importance that allowed him to bring his innovations into fruition. During this time of progression Benjamin Franklin was not alone in his felt of changing traditional thought.Throughout his life he made it a point to seek out other individuals of importance and power to allow him to be among men that will create change in traditional thought. Among these men were John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and James Madison who will later be called the forefathers of America. Provided these relationships that Franklin created it gave him the support that was necessary for his innovations to be known (celebrity). He carefully and deliberately became friends w ith wealthy and powerful people to elevate his social status. Quote) Counterargument- BE as a person- Proportioning self-improvement set him apart from nee Americans. Even in today's society he was revered for his scientific studies + forward thinking. He wasn't exceptional Just for his name. Conclusion- People born into poverty, given everything but can't follow through opportunity to shine/ creatively suppressed, not supported be of way of the world is in a dif environment. Restate thesis Throughout Benjamin Franklins life one can see a constant feeling or urge to better himself.He was brought up in a time when there were many new ideas and free-thinking liberties to be had, and Benjamin took full advantage of them. From his mumble beginnings, Franklin created wealth and prosperity for himself. An important aspect of the American Dream theme in the Autobiography is the rise from impotence to importance, from dependence to independence, from helplessness to power. † 0. A. Leo Lemma 351) Americans revere Benjamin Franklin as one of the most prolific minds of the modern age. But he came from a very meager family.He was born the 1 lath son of the family to a chandler and a housewife. He was pushed very much to become a priest and go to Harvard which would prepare him for the ministry, but his mother and father loud not financially afford for him to attend. He also had his own skepticism about his faith which clouted his ambitions. He reconsidered and decided at the age of 12 to attend another school for basic reading and writing. Around this time Benjamin showed a great interest in books and he ended being arranged as an apprentice under his brother at a printer.His life was created by these books and printing were Just the beginning. Throughout his childhood he became very much interested in learning new things picking up the violin, the guitar and other instruments. He taught himself German, French, and Latin. Through his work-ethic he advised more and m ore Franklins young life: Franklin as starting out on his own: Becoming more influential: thinking. The â€Å"New World† was being created as Benjamin grew, and with that, offered many incredible opportunities to him or to anyone who was bold enough to grasp them.Franklin was no ordinary man. Throughout his life he focused all of his efforts on becoming the best person he could be. Growing up the son of a poor chandler and soap maker he committed himself to becoming a wise learned mind, focusing mentally, physically, and philosophically. Granted, through his time and effort described in his autobiography he created many great situations for himself to develop into one of the wisest minds of the modern thought, but he tended to fall into many situations where he seemed to be in the right place at the right time.During this period of progression the leaders of this new world were being brought out to the fore-front, even if they seems not to be deserving of the role. Benjamin F ranklin poses the essence of the â€Å"self-made† man. Throughout his autobiography he shows us that it isn't always the position that you were born in that creates who we re, but instead, it is our outright curiosity and work-ethic that helps us travel through life and will potentially/eventually lead us to power/wealth/happiness/life satisfaction.An â€Å"important aspect of the American dream theme in the Autobiography is the rise from impotence to importance, from dependence to independence, from helplessness to power. † 0. A. Leo Lemma) Ben Franklin was not completely unaided in his endeavors. He worked incredibly hard for self- improvement and to better himself, but he Just seemed to continually be in the right place at the right time. Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin made the proposition that his friends and himself consider pooling together their respective books in a common place to facilitate ease and convenience of use by all members. Franklin made this suggestion at a meeting that his Book Club was having at Mr. Grace’s house. In explaining the rationale behind his proposal, Franklin added that by placing the books at a single central location, all the members would have the opportunity of having access to every other book that is owned by their colleagues.After considering this suggestion, Franklins’ Book Club members agreed to it. Consequently, each member brought their books until an entire room was completely filled up with various books. Afterwards, following the apparent halting of the aforementioned book pooling arrangement, Franklin began organizing for the setting up of a subscription library. This entity was soon registered in the name of North American subscription libraries, thus marking the genesi s if the library. The following quote illustrates this process.‘About this time, our club meeting, not at a tavern, but in a little room of Mr. Grace's, set apart for that purpose, a proposition was made by me, that, since our books were often referr'd to in our disquisitions upon the queries, it might be convenient to us to have them altogether where we met, that upon occasion they might be consulted; and by thus clubbing our books to a common library, we should, while we lik'd to keep them together, have each of us the advantage of using the books of all the other members, which would be nearly as beneficial as if each owned the whole.It was lik'd and agreed to, and we fill'd one end of the room with such books as we could best spare’ (Franklin, 2006). Following the establishment of the library, Franklin as well as his society was able to engage each other on a more informed level. This is because as members read their colleagues’ books, they developed relevant questions that were presented to those colleagues, thus enhancing academic discourse. Explain Franklin's quest for moral perfection. What process did he use?How successful was he? Which virtues did he find the most challenging to maintain? What was meant by his saying, â€Å"a speckled ax is best? By the term ‘moral perfection,’ Franklin meant the quality of always being able to avoid being engaged in evil things. In addition, the phrase has to do with the humanly habit of always doing what is good or righteous. The succeeding statement illustrates this concept. ‘It was about this time I conceiv'd the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection.I wish'd to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all that either natural inclination, custom, or company might lead me into’ (Icon Reference, 2006). Considering the arduous process through which Franklin went as he pursued ‘moral perfection,’ I should say that he recorded considerable success in his quest. For instance, he noted that authors and commentators had lumped together numerous words to describe various virtues, thus making the virtues’ meanings blurred. He thus simplified the virtues by having succinct explanations for each.It is thus evident that Franklin was significantly successful in this endeavor. Franklin found maintaining the virtue of temperance very demanding sine eternal vigilance was required in order to ward off the numerous temptations that keep occurring. By the ‘a speckled ax is best’ phrase, Franklin meant that it is better for someone to be seen to be trying to observe morality despite the many impediments than for one to completely give in to evil inclinations. By struggling against evil, a person will have both bad and good faces, a situation that Franklin lauded.Was Franklin a religious man? Why, or why not? Provide specific evidence to support your conclusions. Based on his discourse as it i s presented through his autobiography, Franklin was a man who valued and respected religious ideas. For example, as he describes his experiences while in England, Franklin mentions a certain traveling doctor who maliciously distorted the Bible’s message. Considering the bad character that Franklin attributes to this doctor, it is evident that Franklin was a spiritual man.To illustrate, Franklin terms the doctor as ‘an unbeliever’ and a ‘wicked’ man. Such negative terms show that Franklin was unenthusiastic towards this malicious doctor primarily based on what the doctor did to the Bible. This viewpoint, through which Franklin explains his displeasure with the doctor’s action, shows that Franklin had religious roots. The succeeding phrase explains this idea. I imagine, an itinerant doctor, for there was no town in England, or country in Europe, of which he could not give a very particular account.He had some letters, and was ingenious, but much of an unbeliever, and wickedly undertook, some years after, to travestie the Bible in doggrel verse, as Cotton had done Vir gil. By this means he set many of the facts in a very ridiculous light, and might have hurt weak minds if his work had been published; but it never was (Bigelow, 2009). Further, Franklin mentions that he observed the Christian Lent ritual, thus showing that he had religious foundations. This concept is evident from the fact that Lent is usually celebrated by Christians, especially the Roman Catholic believers.The ‘I have since kept several Lents most strictly, leaving the common diet for that, and that for the common, abruptly, without the least inconvenience’ illustrates this religious inclination (Franklin, 2006). References Bigelow, J. (2009). The autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Charleston, SC: BiblioBazaar, LLC. Franklin B. (2006). The autobiography of Ben Franklin. Sioux Falls, SD: NuVision Publications, LLC. Icon Reference. (2006). The a utobiography of Benjamin Franklin (Webster's Spanish Thesaurus Edition). San Diego, CA: ICON Group International, Incorporated.