Introduction (from Wikipedia)
Benjamin Franklin FRS FRSE (January 17, 1706[1] – April 17, 1790) was an American polymath and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, Freemason, postmaster, scientist, inventor, humorist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. As a scientist, he was a major figure in the American Enlightenmentand the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. As an inventor, he is known for the lightning rod, bifocals, and the Franklin stove, among other inventions.[2] He founded many civic organizations, including the Library Company, Philadelphia‘s first fire department[3] and the University of Pennsylvania.[4]
Franklin earned the title of “The First American” for his early and indefatigable campaigning for colonial unity, initially as an author and spokesman in London for several colonies. As the first United States Ambassador to France, he exemplified the emerging American nation.[5] Franklin was foundational in defining the American ethos as a marriage of the practical values of thrift, hard work, education, community spirit, self-governing institutions, and opposition to authoritarianism both political and religious, with the scientific and tolerant values of the Enlightenment. In the words of historian Henry Steele Commager, “In a Franklin could be merged the virtues of Puritanism without its defects, the illumination of the Enlightenment without its heat.”[6] To Walter Isaacson, this makes Franklin “the most accomplished American of his age and the most influential in inventing the type of society America would become.”[7]
Acts of Providence
- The first act of providence that enabled all the accomplishments of Benjamin Franklin was his birth! He was the 15th child born from his father overall, and the 8th from his mother who was his father’s second wife. His father likely thought that he already had 14 children; he accomplished enough as a father. Moreover, he had had 7 children from each of two wives. Were he to have an additional child from his second wife, it would be one more than he had from his first wife which he could perhaps be considered to be a dishonor to his late first wife. Nevertheless, the senior Josiah decided to go for child # 8 from his second wife and #15 overall – and he struck gold. And the American country still reaps the benefits more than 300 years later.
- Another act of providence was the fact that his father did not have enough money to send him to school for the full term. His schooling ended when he was ten. Benjamin therefore studied himself through voracious reading which enabled him to become a self-taught man, who contributed to society as an original thinker, philosopher, and inventor. (They don’t instruct you in school how to invent things.)
- Another act of providence was the fact that Franklin’s brother had a printing shop. These were the seeds that led to Franklin’s become a major influence on Colonial America.
Franklin’s Early Life Journey Beginning as an Apprentice and Leading Towards His Becoming One of the Greatest Americans
Franklin’s brother’s printing shop led to his beginning a journey that ended in his becoming well positioned to be perhaps the most important founding father of the United States of America. The journey had many intertwined providential acts as will be shown here in the course of describing what transpired with him: He was taught the printing trade by his brother at age 12, and aspired to become a writer to his brother’s prestigious The New-England Courant, which was the first truly independent newspaper in the colonies. Because his brother denied him his chance (a providential act) he adopted the pseudonym of “Silence Dogood“, a middle-aged widow. Mrs. Dogood’s letters were published, and became a subject of conversation around town. Franklin must have realized his talent at this time,and the jailing of his brother (another providential act) caused him to recognize his talent even more since he took over the newspaper during that time. Since his brother had been jailed for publishing unflattering material about the governor, Franklin became an advocate from an early age in freedom of thought, and freedom of speech. Unsatisfied with his limited prospects under his brother, he ran away from his apprenticeship and became a fugitive. This may have played a role in his efforts much later to spur on the rebellion of the colonies. He first went to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, seeking a new start in a new city. When he first arrived, he worked in several printer shops around town, but he was not satisfied by the immediate prospects. Then, after a few months, while working in a printing house, Franklin was convinced by Pennsylvania Governor Sir William Keith to go to London, ostensibly to acquire the equipment necessary for establishing another newspaper in Philadelphia. Although Keith’s promises of backing a newspaper empty, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise (and an act of providence). In England, Franklin worked as a typesetter. He also learned much about English society which inspired him to found the the Junto, a group of “like minded aspiring artisans and tradesmen who hoped to improve themselves while they improved their community.” The Junto was a discussion group for issues of the day; it subsequently gave rise to many organizations in Philadelphia.[16] The Junto was modeled after English coffeehouses that Franklin knew well, and which had become the center of the spread of Enlightenment ideas in Britain.[17][18] This individualism that he used to attract others to his beliefs was a portent of the years to come, when he would start newspapers, invent inventions, and his greatest accomplishment – the major founder of the United States of America. The biggest gain of his travel to England, though, was his meeting up with Thomas Denham (another providential occurrence) who was a Philadelphia merchant and was in England at that time paying back his debts he had incurred there. He was a tremendous influence on Franklin throughout his life and was extremely kind to Franklin, employinh Franklin as clerk, shopkeeper, and bookkeeper in his successful business.[15] after having suffered a betrayal of the Pennsylvania Governor. Denham died soon after (in yet another act of providence). This enabled Franklin to continue develop on his own. In 1728, Franklin had set up a printing house in partnership with Hugh Meredith; the following year he became the publisher of a newspaper called The Pennsylvania Gazette. The Gazette gave Franklin a forum for agitation about a variety of local reforms and initiatives through printed essays and observations. Over time, his commentary, and his adroit cultivation of a positive image as an industrious and intellectual young man, earned him a great deal of social respect. Eventually, this brought him great wealth which allowed him more freedom to enter politics and be an intellectual heavyweight there. But even after Franklin had achieved fame as a scientist and statesman, he habitually signed his letters with the unpretentious ‘B. Franklin, Printer.’[15]
