Benjamin Franklin Essay, Research Paper
Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of. -Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin was
correct when he made up this now famous quote. In fact, his life was run by this ideal, that you should live life to its fullest.
Franklin did quite a lot in his lifetime, contributing many things to the advancement of science, technology, politics, and other
important areas of our country?s history. He started out as a young apprentice in journalism. He educated himself in his
youth, and eventually started his own newspaper. Franklin engaged in many public projects in his life, and also experimented
with new technological advances. Benjamin Franklin was first given religious impressions by his parents, even though he
doubted many of the points of religion that had been taught to him. After reading several books on the subject, Franklin
turned towards Deism. Franklin then began to doubt his own beliefs, and turned towards just a basic belief in God. He rarely
attended church, and turned to a form of prayer that he had composed himself. Improving society was one of Benjamin
Franklin?s main goals in life. He wanted to make his country a better place to live in. When, in 1729, the question of
creating paper currency came into question, Franklin was on the side of an addition of money into the province. He backed
his side so intensely, that he wrote and printed a pamphlet which described the necessity of paper currency. Being liked by
the public, and suppressing the wealthy men?s opposition, the point was taken to the House, where it won favor by the
majority. Another public affair that Franklin turned to was the corrupt constableship. He wrote a paper representing the
corruptness and the inequality of the six-shilling constable tax. He proposed the hiring of proper men to serve constantly in
that business, and that the tax should be based upon the size of property that the person owned. Likewise, another problem
that bothered Franklin was the amount of fires that were accidentally being set and the means taken to avoid them. This led
to the forming of a company to extinguish fires, and mutual assistance in removing and securing goods when in danger.
Thus the Union Fire Company was started. Soon after turning towards his own religious doctrine, Franklin began to strive
towards moral perfection. He wanted to live without performing any wrongdoings at all. This led him to devise a method for
controlling his own manner. He listed thirteen names of virtues that he would try to follow at all times. He started with just
one at a time, so that eventually, he would have all thirteen down to perfection. He made a small book in which he made a
page for each of the virtues. He would mark off whenever he faulted in one of the virtues, and gave a week?s attention to
each of the virtues in order. However, he soon found himself with many more faults than he had previously thought. Franklin
was a great teacher of many sorts. Through things that he made, he was able to ?teach? many people with these devices.
For example, in 1732, he first published his now famous Poor Richard?s Almanack. He considered this book as a proper
vehicle for conveying instruction among the common people. He filled it with proverbs to convey ideas about obtaining
wealth and achieving virtue. The book, being universally approved, was copied in all the newspapers of North America,
distributed in England and France, and distributed among the clergy to hand out to their poor attendees. Franklin also
considered his newspaper as another device of instruction. In his paper, he put in pieces of moral writers, his own pieces,
and excluded all libel and personal abuse. Franklin had many humanitarian and philanthropic interests in making his town a
better place to live. In 1744, he established a Philosophical Society. Throughout his life, he wrote many pamphlets of
general information for the public?s basic knowledge. He proposed and established an academy to be built, and thus the
University of Philadelphia was established. Through this university, many youth were able to receive a good education, thus
making them able to perform more successfully in their jobs for their country. An incredible inventor, Benjamin Franklin
devised many inventions that contributed to the advance of scientific knowledge. In 1742, he invented an open stove which
furnished greater heat with a reduced consumption of fuel. Franklin devised a new lamp that had four panes instead of
being a globe, allowing smoke to rise out of the lamp. He also began his electrical experiments with a glass tube that he
received from P. Collinson in England. These experiments soon led to Franklin?s discovery that lightning is an electrical
phenomenon, and later, the invention of the lightning rod. Benjamin Franklin, being widely known for his amazing knowledge
of science and politics, was a man at home all over the world. His scientific experiments led to his being honored a gold
medal of Sir Godfrey Copley in 1753, and his knowledge being spread across the globe. Franklin, using his scientific
reputation, integrity, and wit, was found to be extremely popular in France?s political circle, leading to assistance by the
French against the British. He also spoke to a number of figures of the French Revolution, putting forth a strong influence
upon them. All in all, Benjamin Franklin influenced the history of the world and our country in a multitude of ways.