Ben Franklin

Benjamin Franklin “The First American” Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706 – April 17, 1790) was one of the most important Founding Fathers of the United States. He was a leading author, politician, scientist, inventor, civic activist and diplomat. As a scientist, he was a major figure in the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. As a political writer and activist he, more than anyone, invented the idea of an American nation. As a diplomat during the American Revolution, he secured the alliance with France that helped to defeat the British, and make independence possible. Many historians call him the “First American”. Left: Portrait of Benjamin Franklin by Jean-Baptiste Greuze, 1777 Franklin was famous for his curiosity, his writings, his inventions, and his diversity of interests. As a leader of the Enlightenment, he gained the recognition of scientists and intellectuals across Europe. He invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the iron furnace stove, a carriage odometer and a unique musical instrument made of glass, and known as the “armonica”. Franklin was fluent in five languages, but he was also generally recognized as a polymath. He also played a major role in establishing the University of Pennsylvania and Franklin and Marshall College. Quite expectedly, in 1769 he was elected the first president of the American Philosophical Society, the oldest learned society in the United States. Left: Autograph Franklin Right: An Franklin’s scientific paper “On WaterWhirlwinds”

of Benjamin illustration from spouts and

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Franklin learned printing from his older brother, and became a newspaper editor, printer, and merchant in Philadelphia, becoming very wealthy. Benjamin began writing when he was 15. His brother James started the New England Courant, the first truly independent newspaper in the colonies. When, because of his young age, Benjamin was rejected as an author for the newspaper, he invented the pseudonym of “Mrs. Silence Dogood”. His letters published under that name were much spoken about around town. He spent many years in England and published the Pennsylvania Gazette and the famous Poor Richard’s Almanac (1733 - 1758) under the name Richard Saunders there. “Poor Richard’s Proverbs” such as “A penny saved is twopence dear” (often misquoted as “A penny saved is a penny earned”), “Fish and visitors stink in three days” remain popular in the modern world.

Public life As early as in 1736 Franklin created the Union Fire company, the first volunteer firefighting organization in America. As he matured, Franklin became more concerned about public affairs. He became involved in Philadelphia politics and progressed rapidly. In October 1748 he was selected as a councilman, in June 1749 he became a Justice of Peace for Philadelphia, and in 1751 he was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly. Later he served as a deputy postmaster-general of North America and reformed the postal system. Left: This political cartoon by Franklin urged the colonies to join together during the French and Indian War (Seven Years’ war). In 1763 the western frontier of the colonies was engulfed in a war known as Pontiac’s Rebellion. A group of settlers convinced that the Pennsylvania government was not doing enough to protect them from American Indian raids murdered a group of peaceful Indians and then marched on Philadelphia. Franklin helped to organize the local militia to defend the capital against the mob. Then he met the rebellious settlers’ leaders and persuaded them to disperse. That act cost him some electoral support and he lost his seat in the Assembly. However, this defeat allowed him to return to London, were he obtained a reputation of a pro-American radical. Franklin became a national hero in America when he did his best to persuade the English Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act (1764 – 1765), a law extremely unpopular in the colonies. When he returned to Philadelphia on May 5, 1775, the American Revolution had begun with fighting at Lexington and Concord. The New England militia had trapped the main British army in Boston. The Revolutionary War had begun. The Pennsylvania Assembly unanimously chose Franklin as their delegate to the Second Continental Congress. In 1776 he was a member of the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence and made several small changes to Thomas Jefferson’s initial draft.

Above: “The Committee of Five present their work to the Congress” by John Trumbull

They say that at the signing the Declaration Benjamin Franklin said: “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” In December 1776, Franklin went to France as commissioner for the United States, and stayed there until 1785 representing American interests in Europe. Upon his return he was elected the President of Pennsylvania (a position very similar to that of a Governor today). In this period of his life Franklin became an abolitionist, freeing both of his slaves. Eventually he became president of the “Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage”. In 1789 – 1790 he wrote several essays, addressing the Congress, first of all, that attempted to convince the readers of the importance of the abolition of slavery and of integration of Africans into American society. Franklin died on April 17, 1790, at age 84. His funeral was attended by approximately 20,000 people. His body is buried in Christ Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia.

Above: To be portrayed on a US currency is a great honor for a person. Benjamin Franklin’s image on a hundred-dollar bill.

Project work by Oksana Pakholyuk, Group 44-H, December 2007 (Under the supervision of O.Zabolotnyi)