The Life and Achievements of Benjamin Franklin

Paper Summary:

The paper provides a brief biography of Benjamin Franklin's background and then details Franklin's genius in the field of science and his many inventions. The paper devotes considerable time to discussing Franklin's achievements as a peerless American visionary, an economist, a political thinker, a civic scientist, an elderly statesman, revolutionary spymaster, a writer, a man of letters and an ambassador to France. The paper looks at his influence over and motives behind documents such as the Declaration of Independence. Finally, the paper considers Franklin's specific characteristics, such as an aversion to tyranny, humor, humility and tolerance.

Outline:
Short Biography
Controlling Communications in His Time
Rising to Positions of Influence and Prestige and Personal Gains He Made in Each
His Influence Over and Motives Behind these Major Documents
The "Real" Benjamin Franklin

From the Paper:

"Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts to Josiah and Abiah Folger (Kelly 2007, the Electric Benjamin Franklin 2007). He had only two years of formal schooling but this handicap did not stop him from making the best out of himself. He first helped his older brother James in the latter's printing press until he decided to seek his own destiny in Philadelphia. Through diligence and wisdom, he evolved into a statesman, inventor, scientist, publisher and a politician. His accomplishments as such were unique in his time when colonial North America did not yet have sufficient cultural and commercial institutions for his original ideas."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Beeman, Richard. American Enlightenment. University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved on November 22, 2007 from http://www.benfranklin.org/_etc_pdf/Enlightenment_Richrd_Beeman.pdf
• Electric Benjamin Franklin, the. Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. ushistory.org: Independence Hall Association, 2007
• Eyewitness to History. Writing the Declaration of Independence, 1999. Retrieved on November 22, 2007 from http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com
• Isaacson, Walter. Citizen Ben's Great Virtues. Time: Time, Inc., 2007. Retrieved onNovember 22, 2007 from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,461784,00.html
• Kyl, Jon. American Elder Statesman: Benjamin Franklin. Real Clear Politics, 2006Retrieved on November 22, 2007 from http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2006/07/americas_elder_statesman_benja.html

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