Essay Sample: To Introduce My Audience to Benjamin Franklin

Thesis Statement: The presentation provides an overview of his background. Benjamin Franklin is unique to US history and a man who stayed true to his beliefs and principles.

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Introduction

I Attention Getter: Did you know that Benjamin Franklin received just two years of formal education at a private school and Boston Latin School?

II. Thesis Statement/Introduce Topic: This presentation provides little-known facts in the background of Benjamin Franklin that led to him being a Founding Father of the United States, an admirable negotiator.

III. Credibility Statement: The information on this presentation is sourced from credible sources including the US History organization (Accessed at https://www.ushistory.org/franklin/info/index.htm) (“Quick Biography of Benjamin Franklin,” 2020)

IV. Preview:

A. Benjamin Franklin only had two years of formal education

B. He worked at his brother’s printing shop, where he honed his writing skills as “Silence DoGood,”; a ghost-writer for the New England Courant.

C. He was an excellent negotiator, a tact he learned from his days as a businessman after moving to Philadelphia.

[Transition: Firstly,)

I. Main Point: Benjamin Franklin was an excellent self-professed writer. He learned and mastered the craft while working at his brother’s printing shop in Boston.

A. Sub-point: He wrote for the New England Courant and secretly submitted his essays.

1. Sub-sub-point: He had a brother, James Franklin, whom he worked for at his shop from 12 as an apprentice.

2. Sub-sub-point: He started writing for the New England Courant at the age of 16 under the name “Silence DoGood” on sensitive societal matters (Bullock, 2019).

3. Sub-sub-point: Wrote a total of 14 essays as Silence DoGood before unmasking himself.

B. Sub-point: Took part in writing the Declaration of Independence as a part of the Committee of Five.

1. Sub-sub-point: The first draft was prepared by Thomas Jefferson, who asked for Benjamin’s assistance (Pine, 2020).

2. Sub-sub-point: Benjamin would later rediscover himself as a revolutionary by navigating this opportunity with relative ease owing to his experience and skills.

C. Sub-point: Relationship with his brother soured.

1. Sub-sub-point: He fled Boston and moved to Philadelphia.

2. Sub-sub-point: Started a craft based on science and continued his work in print media. He was an author, printer, and publisher.

3. Sub-sub-point:

[Transition: Secondly,)

II. Main Point: Franklin was a principled individual who stayed true to what he believed in.

A. Sub-point: He was the son of a British loyalist

B. Sub-point: He was reluctant to support separation from Britain.

1. Sub-sub-point: That came from his belief in the values of his family, which was okay to the British rule.

2. Sub-sub-point: The importance of independence and merit made him change his mind and support, separating the US from Britain.

III. Main Point: Benjamin Franklin played a role in the Treaty of Paris that was signed in 1783. (Franklin & Cohn, 2017). He was instrumental in the negotiation process, having been the first Minister to France at the time.

[Transition: He was “The total man”; a hero)

Conclusion

I. Signpost: In summary,

II. Summary: Benjamin Franklin learned a lot of skills growing up; skills that prepared him to become:

A. An excellent writer and speaker

B. A diplomat and negotiator

C. A principled man.

III. Clincher: The background and works highlighted in this presentation on the contributions of Benjamin Franklin to American history portray him as a revolutionary individual. He had high-level skills in communication, both spoken and written, which ultimately made him the hero we celebrate today.

References.

Bullock, S. C. (2019). Benjamin Franklin and the Problems of Civil Discourse. A Crisis of Civility?: Political Discourse and Its Discontents.

Franklin, B., & Cohn, E. R. (2017). The Papers of Benjamin Franklin: March 1 Through August 15, 1784 (Vol. 42). Yale University Press.

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

Quick Biography of Benjamin Franklin. Ushistory.org. (2020). Retrieved September 16, 2020, from https://www.ushistory.org/franklin/info/index.htm.