9 January 2017 - BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

G'day folks,

Welcome to some interesting facts about a famous American.

 Benjamin Franklin was a scientist, ambassador, philosopher, statesmen, writer, businessman and celebrated free thinker and wit. He has often been referred to as ‘America’s renaissance man’ and was emblematic of the fledgling American nation.

Benjamin Franklin was born January 17, 1706 into a large and poor family. His father had 17 children by 2 different wives. Benjamin was brought up in the family business of candle making and his brother’s printing shop. Whenever he could Benjamin would take the opportunity to read and learn about a wide range of subjects, from Sophocles to modern science. Whilst co workers would take a leisurely lunch break, Benjamin Franklin would pore over books from the bookshop munching on some raisins.

At an early age, he also started writing articles which were published in the New England Coureant under a pseudonym; Franklin wrote under pseudonym’s throughout his life. After several were published, he admitted to his father that he had wrote them. Rather than being pleased his father beat him for his impudence. Therefore, aged 17, the young Benjamin left the family business and travelled to Philadelphia.

 In Philadelphia, Benjamin’s reputation as an acerbic man of letters grew. His writings were both humorous and satirical, but they also raised the fears of the Pennsylvania governor, William Keith. William Keith was fearful of Benjamin’s talents so offered him a job in England with all expenses paid. Benjamin took the offer, but once in England the governor deserted Franklin, leaving him with no funds.

Benjamin Franklin frequently found himself in awkward situations, but his natural resourcefulness and determination always overcame difficult odds. Benjamin found a job at a printers in London. Here he was known as the “Water American” – as he preferred to drink water rather than the usual 6 pints of beer daily. Franklin remarked there was ‘more nourishment in a pennyworth of bread than in a quart of beer.

In 1726, a Quaker Merchant, Mr. Denham offered him a position in Philadelphia. Franklin accepted and sailed back to the US.

 On his journey home, Benjamin wrote a list of 13 virtues he thought important for his future life. Amongst these were temperance, frugality, sincerity, justice and tranquillity. He originally had 12, but, since a friend remarked he had great pride, he added a 13th – humility (Imitate Jesus and Socrates)

Science experiments were a hobby of Franklin. This led to the:

• Franklin stove – a mechanism for distributing heat throughout a room.
• The famous kite and key in the thunderstorm. This proved that lightening and electricity were one and the same thing.
• He was the first person to give electricity positive and negative charges
• The first flexible urinary catheter
• Glass harmonica
• Bifocal glasses.

 Franklin never patented his inventions, preferring to offer them freely for the benefit of society.

Franklin was chosen as an ambassador to England in the dispute over taxes. For five years he held conferences with political leaders as well as continuing his scientific experiments and musical studies.

Later on Franklin played a key role in warning the British government over the dangers of taxing the American colonies. In a contest of wills, Franklin was instrumental in encouraging the British Parliament to revoke the hated Stamp Act. However, this reversal was to be short lived. And when further taxes were issued, Franklin declared himself a supporter of the new American independence movement.

In 1775, he returned to America in conflict. He was one of the five representatives chosen to draw up the American declaration of Independence with Thomas Jefferson as author.

Franklin was chosen to be America’s ambassador to France, were he worked hard to gain the support of the French in America’s war effort. During his time in French society, Franklin was widely admired, and his portrait hung in many houses.

 At the age of 75, the newly formed US government beseeched Franklin to be America’s representative in signing a peace treaty with Great Britain which was signed in 1783.

He was finally replaced as French ambassador by Thomas Jefferson, who paid tribute to his enormous capacity Jefferson remarked ‘I succeed him; no one can replace him.”

 Benjamin Franklin believed in God throughout his life. In his early life he professed a belief in Deism. However, he never gave too much importance to to organised religion. He was well known for his religious tolerance, and it was remarked how people from different religions could think of him as one of them. As John Adams remarked:

“The Catholics thought him almost a Catholic. The Church of England claimed him as one of them. The Presbyterian’s thought him half a Presbyterian, and the Friends believed him a wet Quaker.”

Franklin embodied the spirit of the enlightenment and spirituality over organised religion.

Franklin was a keen debater, but his style was to avoid confrontation and condemnation. He would prefer to argue topics through the asking of awkward questions, not dissimilar to the Greek philosopher Socrates.

Clancy's comment: A clever man in more ways than one.

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