...Benjamin Franklin Every kid, at some point in their life, reads about Benjamin Franklin in school. He is one of the most popular historical figures ever, but why is Franklin so popular? Ben was one of seventeen children, he was not very religious, and at the age if seventeen he ran away from his home and family. At first glance these do not seem like the characteristics of a successful human being, but it was these very things that helped shaped Ben’s life, and allowed him to become the most distinguished man of the 18th century. Franklin, being a part of such a large family, had no choice but to fend for himself. In order for Franklin to flourish he had to self-educate, self-motivate, and self-improve himself, which he became obsessed with. Franklin had to look out for number one, and when he left he never looked back. Throughout his travels Franklin sought opportunity, and he seized each one he came across, whether it be “flirting” or socializing, making important friendships and connections, or spreading his image throughout the globe Franklin was determined to succeed. The formula for Franklin’s success doesn’t seem to be an extremely difficult one, but it was how he executed it that separated him from the rest. Ben was a very strict, regimented, self-critical man. Every move Franklin made was pre-analyzed, and had a specific purpose to better his life. In a nutshell Franklins formula was “self-hood” and networking, or creating and enhancing his image. However, Franklin had...
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... 1. John Ashley’s Essay Paper on Benjamin Franklin The goal of this essay paper is to discuss key ways that Ben Franklin presents his story as an illustration of self-improvement. After reading of this man’s life, I firmly believe that he is one of America’s greatest heroes. If not for the self-sacrifices made from Ben, from his early age and throughout his life, then the face of America would be of a different nature. This is the understanding that I received from his writings about the moral fortitudes of a man unwilling to just settle with whatever was happening around him. My Essay Self-improvement is an often presented theme in the works of Benjamin Franklin’s life and writings. Through his charming demeanor, Benjamin Franklin won over the socialites of France. Benjamin gained their admiration, by wearing his rustic fur cap, which the French considered to be the quintessential symbol of rugged Americanism.(Meltzer Page 3). He was quoted saying, "Figure me in your mind as jolly as formerly and as strong and hearty only a few years older; very plainly dressed, wearing my thin gray straight hair that peeps out under my only coiffure, a fine fur cap which comes down to my forehead almost to my spectacles. The self-improvement that is so often spoken of by Ben Franklin is, I believe, that of just saying or doing whatever is needed to get the end result...
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...If there was any one theme throughout Ben Franklin's life, it was self-improvement. He was born into a family of seventeen children as the son of a poor candle and soap maker. He had less than two years of formal education and began his young adulthood entirely on his own in Philadelphia. Yet he became a wealthy man by eighteenth century standards and one of the most respected intellects of the Western world. He was a model for the rags-to-riches story of the self-made man. Franklin's entire life reflected his belief in self-improvement, and from adolescence until his death at eighty-four, he worked constantly to improve his mind, his body, and his behavior. Mind: Self-education While apprenticed at his brother James' printing shop, Franklin decided to improve his writing abilities. He created a number of methods designed to make him a better writer. He studied the writings of authors whose style he liked and practiced writing essays in the same style. He would also rewrite essays by famous writers, seeking to improve them. Another method he devised was writing the paragraphs and sentences of an essay on slips of paper, shuffling the slips, and finally attempting to reassemble them in the correct order. Also during his apprenticeship, Franklin was exposed to a variety of books and read everything that he could get his hands on. Not only was Franklin an avid reader, he loved to discuss what he read. One of the reasons Franklin formed the Junto in 1727 was to have a...
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...Franklin project: Paragraphs Paragraph 1: Franklin Reflection Benjamin Franklin’s improvement plan for himself was very substantial for one to commit to. Having thirteen personality traits to flip around at one time is too much for a human to conquer. He must have been a serious go getter. He made a chart and even kept a journal to record his progress. Personally I feel like doing this would be almost impossible. He writes “I wanted to make all these virtues into personal habits, so I tried to master them one at a time”. It’s great to work hard for something, but it’s hard enough changing one thing but changing thirteen things would be non- accomplishable. I remember I tried to change just a few things about me. Just doing that was hard, and it took awhile and sometimes I still mess up. But having ten more things would be too much. However, he definitely knew it would be a challenge according to his quote, “ Like a man with a large garden to weed, I knew I could not get rid of all my faults at once”. At least he is somewhat realistic. Still I believe if he took to the list with tremendous work ethic, he would still most likely not perfect himself. Perfection takes a lifetime. Paragraph 2: My Plan My improvement plan consists of simply not cursing, and replacing those words with more sensible words. Cursing is unprofessional and makes me sound uneducated. I knew it needed to stop, so like Benjamin Franklin I set myself up with a self improvement...
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...1 HUM 2333 September 24, 2013 Word count 510 Some say George Washington is the father of our country but the contributions made by Ben Franklin cannot be overlooked. His love of reading, sense of humor and need to improve himself and others gave him the ambition to achieve many things that benefited all the country. Born in 1706, Ben Franklin was the fifteenth child and youngest son in a family of seventeen children. Being of modest means, the children were put to work as apprentices in various fields, at early ages. This gave Ben Franklin a strong work ethic and sense of responsibility early in life. Ben Franklin was sent to school at the age of eight, his father’s, Josiah, plan was for him to go into ministry. “… my father intending to devote me, as the tithe of his sons, to the service of the church” (7). At the age of 10 Franklin was put to work as apprentice to his father, a tallow chandler and sope-boiler. It was about this time he learned a valuable lesson about honestly. Having a love for the sea he and several friends took some rocks and built a wharf. Upon being discovered and defending his actions as being useful his father teaches him “nothing was useful which was not honest” (8). Several years later Franklin was sent to apprentice his brother James in the printing business, this is where he will further develop his communication and writing skills. 2 Josiah, through the use of dinner conversations, also helped him develop the communication skills he would...
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...Benjamin franklin Autobiography Benjamin Franklin was one of the founding fathers of the United States. Franklin was born January 17, 1706 and died April 17, 1790. Franklin was a leading writer, publisher, inventor, diplomat, scientist, and philosopher. Franklin is well-known for his experiments with electricity and lightning. Franklin was one of fifteen children in his family. Because he was from such a large family he was sent out to work at a very early age. He only had a few years of grammar school education when he started working in his father’s business. During his days off he educated himself through books. He worked as an apprentice in his brother’s print shop for several years until tension ended their relationship. He moved to Philadelphia to continue in the printing business. The book portrays a picture of life in Philadelphia, as well as literature, philosophy, and religion of America colonial and revolutionary periods. Franklin discussed his life-story as an example to illustrate the most important American qualities and values, like determination, self-sufficiency, perseverance, hard work, frugality, and reliance on a sound code of ethics are the ingredients of success. Benjamin was always teaching and leading by example. One way Franklin started his self-improvement was when he worked at his brother shop he begin to read and imitate the style of professional authors. This was a personal improvement for franklin. At a...
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...Franklin’s Puritan Influence Ben Franklin help steer a path for equal rights for all Americans, and not only talked about these rights, but lead by example. Franklin was one of the Enlightenment movement’s assets, however, traces are still seen of the Puritan influence in Franklin’s writings and everyday life through his discipline, constant improvement of oneself, and religious duty. Franklin demonstrated discipline throughout his life by example he set in multiple jobs and with multiple friends. While employed in London he unlike all his other fellow employees chose not to partake in drinking beer on the job, primarily for saving money, also for the clearness of head while working. Franklin states, “I thought it a detestable Custom.” (Franklin,...
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...relationship with God in order to redeem one from one’s sinful condition, that God had chosen to reveal salvation through preaching, and that the Holy Spirit was the energizing instrument of salvation” (britannica, puritans). The Puritans went to the new world to escape the judgement and persecution they experienced in England. They wanted freedom. Next, Rationalist were the other big group in the new colonies. they were different from the puritans, but were still important. “the view that regards reason as the chief source and test of knowledge. Holding that reality itself has an inherently logical structure, the rationalist asserts that a class of truths e xists that the intellect can grasp directly” (britannica, rationalism). Influenced Ben Franklin's work on how he conducted his experiments and his goals. Secondly, politics was a big thing at the time and it ended up influencing the literature. To begin, the Americans wanted freedom from britain but after many tries to break away without resulting to violence. but people wanted their independence and wanted the people in charge to take action “Sir, we have done everything that could be done, to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence...
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...Benjamin Franklin David Duron AP Psychology 5th Hour Mr. Compton April 12, 2013 Benjamin Franklin was a very astonishing man who accomplished many things not only for America as a politician and Founding Father, but for all of humanity. Our father of electricity is known and remembered for many things, poet, for being and inventor, a mediator, and probably best known for flying a kite with a key tied on during a lightning storm. Franklin was the son of a Bostonian soap boiler, born on January 17, 1706 the eighth child of ten. His parents were Josiah Franklin, and Abiah Folger Franklin. Abiah franklin was the second wife of Josiah and raised his late wife’s eight, and her own ten children, eighteen total Franklin children. Abiah was born in Nantucket Massachusetts and raised as a Puritan, which had influence on young Benjamin. Not to a lot of other extended information is known about his mother (NSDAR). His father Josiah was born in England in 1657 and migrated to Boston for more religious freedom. Again not too much information is known about his father as well. Josiah had a very influential role in Benjamin’s life. The most noted is that he encouraged all of his children to pursue an honest and worthwhile trade after attaining an education. He was certain that Benjamin was going to be a minister but could only afford two years of schooling (Shmoop). Placed at the Boston Latin School, these two short years made him ten and gave him a heightened need for reading, so...
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...Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin An autobiography is the life history of a person that is written in a book and the history is written by the same person. Autobiography mainly centers its focus on the times and life of the person writing it. The autobiography nature is very subjective and therefore the writer should be able to recall memories promptly so that incorrect and false information should be avoided. Some autobiographies are fictional whereby people write the autobiography as if it were them as seen in some novels. Benjamin Franklin was born January 17,1706 in Boston. He attended school for only 2 years despite his passion for reading. When he was 12 years old, he joined his brother James to become an apprentice at the print shop. He wrote his first newspaper in Boston when he was 15 years. He wrote several letters and finally announced that he was the writer when the letters became a hit. He ran away to Philadelphia at 17 when his brother was furious about his writing (The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin 1). He was amongst the naissance fathers of the United States. He was an inventor, a representative, a scientist, a principal writer and above all, he was a theorist. He loved doing experiments and this was well shown in the experiments he did regarding power and lightning after experimenting on kites in an event of a lightning storm. He also published “Poor Richard’s Almanac’’ and the Pennsylvania Gazette in 1733 (Franklin 45). In the Continental...
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...Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin Socrates once said “Employ your time in improving yourself by other men’s writings.” This is exactly what the men known as the wisest American achieved: self-betterment through readings and writings of other authors. In his Autobiography Benjamin Franklin takes us not only into a tour of his life but also in the journey he traveled in the 18th century, which allowed him to become the person we know of today. Franklin’s determination to persevere and learn from writings of other authors is the key points of the Autobiography that help make it an inspirational self-empowered autobiography. Unlike many other autobiographies Franklin starts this one as a letter to his son and governor of New Jersey in 1771, William Franklin. He writes in an attempt to inform his son of the life he once traveled. In this part of the Autobiography we are introduced to his family genealogy. Through this we find out that he is the youngest of the youngest son, Josiah, who though he made and sold candles and soap was a well-respected man. His mother Abiah, being a woman, had only one choice and that was to be a stay at home mom and take care of their children. Though at the time most men were put into trades and molded into being apprentices, Josiah saw something unique in Franklin and decided to enroll him into grammar school, marking the beginning of Franklin’s lifelong and impressive career. At age twelve Franklins talent shown through and...
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...4424-M477 Professor Wilson 24 March 2013 2 Leader Profile of Ben Franklin 3 Outline Introduction Benjamin Franklin is a renowned American known for his keen business skills and leadership. Franklin was trained by his older brother James how to run the printing business. Having learned the skill he moved to Philadelphia to become his own man. Thesis Franklin’s success in business and other disciplines are of exceptional interest to the entire world because of his initiative. 1. Background Franklin always wanted to write his own stories after having learned how to read and write at an early age. He wrote compelling letters that made him popular in Boston. His brother James was jealous of the development and often scolded him. He decided to move to Philadelphia where he started his own printing business. 2. Accomplishments and Failures The printer business thrived and grew to an empire while he pursued interests in science. He made significant scientific inventions that made a great significant in the world. He had low moments in his career due to his stance on issues pertaining to justice. 3. Leadership Strengths and Weaknesses He displayed exceptional leadership traits that enabled him to achieve much in his career. He managed to lead people and motivate them to take part in some of his ventures (Northouse 21). 4. Points of View on Benjamin Franklin Franklin’s self discipline is an influential factor in the extraodinary things he...
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...Rather than leave his life story to biographers and historians, Benjamin Franklin, ever the artisan, took the raw material of his recollections and from them carefully shaped the myth that has come to represent his life. (Isaacson 2) His use of thirteen virtues (Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Chastity and Humility) by which one could improve one’s life became an integral part of his image. In his Autobiography, he claims to desire to “acquire the habitude (emphasis original) of all these virtues…” (Franklin 65) Yet it is only a few pages later when he admits having failed, adding “on the whole, tho’ I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it, yet I was, by the endeavour, a better and happier man than I otherwise should have been if I had not attempted it…” (Franklin 70) Ironically, Franklin has established a program that even by his own standards is impossible to complete, while still critical to the development and long-term success of the participant. This program of unreachable self improvement goals became foundational to the Franklin Myth....
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...been in advance of their time who have been misunderstood, maligned, persecuted and sometimes put to death…Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Paine and their compeers were the rebels of their day…But they had the moral courage to be true to their convictions … We are going to explore the heroic soul of Benjamin Franklin. Franklin began writing his autobiography in 1771, but before he could finish writing his whole life story, he died in 1790. One challenge the book poses for us, then, is that it doesn’t cover a lot of the interesting and important stuff that happened in Franklin life, like the American Revolution or the time he spent working as a diplomat in Paris. Through his work as a writer, printer, statesman and inventor he forever established himself as one of America’s greatest figures. We see Benjamin Franklin’s influence during his lifetime, in the majority of major developments in U.S. History. His hard work and dedication to bettering himself and the lives of fellow American’s actually paved the way for Colonial America to separate itself from Great Britain and establish it’s self as a major world power. “A Man story is not told by list of his grand accomplishments, but rather by his smaller daily goods.” We see how his influence, which derived from his dilegence and dedication, helped shape the course of U.S. history. Benjamin Franklin was an American pioneer. It is amazing the vast amount of contributions he has made to U.S. history and American life. When one...
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...life. He was born in Boston on January 17th, 1706. He was the tenth son of soap maker Josiah Franklin. In all, Josiah had 17 children. Josiah could only afford to send his son to school for one year. Ben learned to read at an early age. His entire life reflected his belief in self-improvement, and from an early age until he passed away. Franklin was a smart, driven, and knew he wanted to accomplish great things with his life. He constantly worked to try to improve himself. His father stopped his schooling at age 10 to work full-time in his candle and soap shop. Franklin also worked with his brother in his newspaper business. His brother aggravated him and he left and went to Boston in 1723. He then went to New York before settling in Philadelphia, which became his home for the rest of his life....
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