Benjamin Franklin: Influential Founding Father & Inventor - Essay Sample

Benjamin Franklin believed in writings and other things worth reading because they are used in history even after an individual dies. He has accomplished most of this aspirations through his books. Franklin has been highly influential in supporting social services to Americans. Importantly, he has been a role model for generations. Franklin has significantly influenced education and inventions in the United States. He is remembered as one of America's founding fathers through his dedication and compassion towards reshaping the nation.

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The book Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin has a lot of contribution to American history. It gives memories and reflection of how life was in America in the Eighteenth Century. Franklin’s determination, discipline, and persistence are what drive most Americans even today. The autobiography is a recollection of his life and addresses it to his son. The purpose of the book changes throughout to serve the aspiration of other people. Franklin was from a humble family and was one time expelled from school due to lack of fees.

After working with his father for a few years, Franklin started an apprenticeship with his brother, James Franklin, a Boston printer. At age fifteen, Franklin anonymously wrote a letter and was approved for publishing on The New-England Courant. After Franklin told James that he was the author of the publication, James was unhappy with his deceit and denied any further publication. The tediousness of his indentured business with James had instigated him to leave James searching for a new opportunity before the contract ended. However, James became an obstacle to his prevented him from getting jobs at a Boston printing house. Franklin, therefore, decided to move to New York at the age of seventeen.

Franklin’s marvelous life started when he went to Philadelphia when he could not find any New York jobs. In Philadelphia, he was introduced to work for Samuel Keimer in his printing house. He also met the governor of Philadelphia, Sir William Keith. Keith was impressed by Franklin sailing to Philadelphia alone and his experience and agreed to help Franklin set up his printing agency. He also encouraged Franklin to acquire new technology and printing machines from London and promised to provide financial and interpersonal support. Keith expected nothing of him and left Franklin in London with no money. In the meantime, Franklin met Mr. Denham, who helped him during his difficult time in London.

After returning to Philadelphia, Franklin successfully established his own printing house and the formation of Junto Club, which was for mutual improvement. He also established the Philadelphia subscription library. Franklin created Fire Company, assisted in founding the public library and the University of Pennsylvania, and cleaned up the streets and asserted street lamps. He had gained more reputation by his contentious publications and the promotion of public services. Franklin came up with his own virtue beliefs such as temperance, resolution, frugality, sincerity, justice, cleanliness, tranquility, and humility. Moreover, he played a part in the French-Indian War and advocated the colonies to unite and defend themselves against Great Britain and the Native Americans. Most importantly, his contribution to elevating education and the scientific method as a career of an inventor to improve people’s lives was significant in American history.

Women did not share the same rights as men in colonial America. For instance, they were denied educational opportunities and thought to be inferior to men. A man position as the head of the family was thought to be God’s authority over women. As suggested, the responsibility of housework and nurturing are the means of a woman’s life. Women should obey their husbands and devote themselves to the family as a wife. In contrast, Franklin was distinctive in the view of female education. In the autobiography, he talked about how he was impressed by Elizabeth, a widow who was successful and competent in business as a woman, “[She] managed the business with such success, that she not only brought up reputably a family of children, but, as the expiration of the term, was able to purchase of me the printing-house, and establish her son in it.” Franklin then recommended education for females, and he believed that women have the same ability as men, and they are capable of being effective in society. They should be allowed to pursue education and acquire certain knowledge to be better educates the next generation.

Franklin did not just advocate education for females, but all members in society to a greater extent. The founding of Junto in 1727 was a great influence in society. Members in the club were free to express their opinions on politics, religion, and social issues. One of the subjects that came up in their discussion was to tax people according to their property, which is a taxation system that we are adopting now. The members of Junto also established the first Public Library in Philadelphia in 1731. The library soon became very popular, and reading became a fashion. Many people were benefiting from it, “In few years were observed by strangers to be better instructed and more intelligent than people of the same rank generally are in other countries.” Again, Franklin was engaged in establishing the first college in Philadelphia in 1740 to provide educational opportunities for young people; it is known as the University of Pennsylvania today. Equally important, the publication of Poor Richard’s Almanack from 1732 to 1758 served to educate the general public. It contained the information about weather, astronomy, calendar, and, most importantly, the virtue principles that can guide people in a positive moral way.

Importantly, Franklin’s invention and discovery has laid a vital foundation for later science. During the Eighteen Century, families were using a fireplace to warm up their houses. It was dangerous because the fireplace's sparks may cause fire in the house, and it also produced an excessive amount of smoke. Considering that, Franklin invented an open stove in 1742, which was a safer way to generate heat and warm up the room in winter days. It also used less fuel and enabled people to save a lot of money. Not only did he refuse to make profits off the stove, but also published pamphlets to demonstrate how to build the stove. “As we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by an invention of ours, and this we should do freely and generously." It suggested that Franklin’s intention for his inventions was to serve people instead of personal profit.

Moreover, many people’s houses were set on fire by lightning days during the Eighteen Century. Franklin’s discovery on electricity proved that lightning is a form of electricity through his famous electrical kite experiment. It led to the invention of lightning rods. Franklin discovered that it caused a fire when lightning struck the roof because the houses were made of wood. The lightning robs could be used to capture lightning and sent it directly to the ground in the form of electricity to power up underground electricity transmission systems and prevented fires. His lightning theory was set up a base for the future formulation of electricity in various aspects.

Benjamin Franklin’s contribution was so significant in shaping who we are as Americans today. I enjoyed reading the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin very much. He symbolized the American Dream; the harder you work, the more you will succeed. As an Enlightenment thinker, his ideas were so powerful and highly affected American society. He increased public awareness of education. His invention of the stove and the discovery of electricity were both intended to facilitate people’s lives. Today, we are taking most things for granted without realizing the story behind what we have now. They came from somewhere and were created by someone. His autobiography is worth reading. He brought his readers to a tour of Eighteen Century America and gave a sense of how life was like during that time. His virtue principles were also very influential and inspirational, leading his reader to act positively in a moral way.

Bibliography

Franklin, B. (2007). The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin: 1706-1757 (Vol. 1). Regnery Publishing.

Franklin, B. (2007). The Compleated Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin. Simon and Schuster.

Franklin, B., Jorgenson, C. E., & Mott, F. L. (1946). Benjamin Franklin. Henssel.

Pine, F. W. (2020). The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Diamond Pocket Books Pvt Ltd.

Wood, G. S. (2008). The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin.