Benjamin Franklin and the "Ideal" American

Paper Summary:

Benjamin Franklin is considered by many to be one of the greatest Americans to ever live and is also held as an important pillar of America's national heritage. Some may also argue that he exemplifies the American dream and all that is truly American. The paper shows that as the son of a candle maker and with only a minimal amount of formal education, Benjamin Franklin was influenced by his modest background and used his dedication and determination to master many disciplines in his quest for success. The paper examines how throughout his life, Benjamin Franklin took on the roles of statesman, philanthropist, inventor, revolutionary, publisher and philosopher. In regards to his personal and political ideologies and achievements, Benjamin Franklin epitomized the Ideal American.

From the Paper:

"Although Benjamin Franklin was a man of many interests and talents, he is most certainly best known for being an exceptional statesman. In the English and French wars, he sided with the British and tried to encourage peace with the Native Americans and the French. Franklin also fought for Native American rights. He returned to London for a while and used his networking there to stress the importance of America as a colony. However, he became disillusioned with the British and their self-importance, and decided to refer to himself as an American rather than an English American. This was the starting point for Franklin's fight for independence."

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