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essays on benjamin franklin's autobiography
3-4 short biography paragraphs of the individual of benjamin franklin
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Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 17, 1706. He was one of the seventeen children of Josiah Franklin, a soap maker. Josiah’s second wife, Abiah Folger mothered young Benjamin. As a child, Benjamin loved to read and at twelve years of age was apprenticed to his older brother, James, who was a printmaker. The family decided this would be best for young Benjamin after his father could only afford one year of studies in clergy for his son. James soon after started The New England Courant, the first newspaper in Boston to include opinionated articles written by James’s friends. At only fifteen, Benjamin wanted to be included in these chronicles. He created a fictional character known as “Silence Dogood” and wrote daily letters in regard to advice and criticisms toward the town. His creation was greatly admired by readers and soon young Benjamin confessed. His brother loathed and ignored him while his friends supported him; manifesting a great jealousy between the two brothers. Soon after, smallpox hit Boston and caused a great deal of religious debate with vaccination. Though the majority of the people believed that these vaccinations only worsened the conditions. However, they did not believe that James’s mockery of the clergy was just. He was thrown in prison for his prints and the company was left to Benjamin. However, upon his release, he was not grateful to his brother and took over. Young Franklin knew that this was not the lifestyle he wanted and reacted to this by running away. He arrived in Philadelphia and used the last of his money to buy some rolls. He was wet and messy when his future wife, Deborah Read, met him on October, 6, 1723. She never imagined marrying him until 7 years later. Eventually, Franklin found work once again as an apprentice printer. He did so well that the governor of Pennsylvania promised to set him up in business if he went to London for print stamps and fonts. However, upon his arrival, the governor changed his mind, leaving young Franklin in England, once again printmaking. Upon his returning to Philadlephia, he opened up his own business on a loan and worked nonstop. Soon enough, the whole town became aware of his diligent lifestyle. Franklin was never caught wasting time. He proposed to Deborah after her husband had left her and they united with Benjamin’s son, William.
Ben Franklin was born in Boston on a Sunday in January of 1706. His father was a candle maker and had many sons. Ben from a young age was a very adventurous boy, he was often getting in trouble. As a teen Ben Franklin went to work with his brother as a newspaper printer. Ben was in love with books and wanted to write a column in his brothers paper. He and his brother argued several times and Ben ran away to New York but soon ended up in Philadelphia running his own newspaper company. Ben Franklin was a scientist and inventor, we’ve all heard about Ben with electricity. Ben Franklin was also a major founding father of the constitution and was viewed as a very patriotic person.
Benjamin Franklin is one of the most profound individuals in American history. He is a Diplomat, Writer, Inventor, a founding father, and holds the title as the “First American.” In 1706 Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony. He is the fifteenth of seventeen children that his father, Josiah Franklin, had. At the age of 8 years old Franklin attended school, here he learned literacy. In spite of his successes in school, he had to drop out at the young age of 10 to assist his father with his business. Franklin did not enjoy working for his father’s business, however he had to work at his father’s shop for about 2 years. Josiah then had Benjamin apprenticed to his little brother, James, who was a printer. James is the founder
Born in the Massachusetts Bay Colony on January 17,1706; Benjamin was the youngest son of seventeen children. From an early age Benjamin was a natural earner but discontinued his studies to work in his father’s soap and candle shop at age 10. Two years later, Franklin joined his brother as an apprentice at his printer shop. Working at the shop, Franklin indulged himself with writing and poetry. In the Autobiography, Benjamin claimed that “Prose Writing… of great Use to me in the Course of my Life, and was a principal Means of my Advancement” (“Benjamin Franklin”). With no work success in New York Franklin
Benjamin Franklin is considered one of the greatest thinkers, inventors and leaders throughout American history. This Founding Father of the United States was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 17, 1706 and spent his childhood there until finally moving to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as a teenager. Franklin was a leader in politics and science. Franklin lived for 84 years and passed away in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1790. Although conspiracy theorists may disagree, Franklin was not clearly for or against organized religion during his lifetime. We see this in his autobiography that he wrote at the age of 79.
Soon Franklin found a job as a printer. After a year he went to England, where he became a master printer, sowed some wild oats, amazed the locals with his swimming feats, and lived among inspiring writers of London. By 1726 Franklin was tiring of London (#1). He considered becoming an itinerant teacher of swimming, but when a Quaker merchant by the name of Thomas Denham offered him a clerkship in his store in Philadelphia, he decided to return home (#5).
In Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography, Samuel Keimer is a character who represents the antithesis of Franklin. The development of Keimer not only improves the reader’s understanding of the minor character, but also of Franklin, the major character. Franklin makes a point of showing the reader each of Keimer’s faults and contrasting them with his own merits.When Keimer is first introduced to the reader, he is in very much the same circumstances as Franklin; they are two young men trying to make a fresh start in a new town, the only difference being Keimer’s economic, and thereby social, advantage. In comparison to Franklin, however, Keimer is a flawed and immoral man; this difference is what makes him the ideal model for Franklin to scrutinize. As Benjamin Franklin consistently moves up the social and economic ladders, more than surpassing Keimer’s achievements, Keimer quickly falls into poverty and loses everything. “With the rest I (Benjamin Franklin) began to live very agreeably; for they all respected me, the more as they found Keimer incapable of instructing them, and that from me they learned something daily.”1 Franklin goes into great detail to teach the reader how one should live one’s life in order to avoid the same fate as Keimer.
Who was Benjamin Franklin and what accomplishments did he make that affects us today? Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts, January 17, 1790. Benjamin Franklin “was the tenth son of soap maker, Josiah Franklin. Benjamin’s mother was Abiah Folger, the second wife of Josiah” (Electric). He became a diplomat, scientist, author and also a philosopher. Benjamin Franklin developed into a great man and became known as one of the founders of the fathers of the Declaration of the Independence; thus known as one of the many accomplishments he made throughout his lifetime. Research, documentaries and an autobiography written by Benjamin Franklin himself detail all his accomplishments. An amazing man, Ben Franklin became to be so far ahead of his time to create the many inventions he developed within his life time. Many historians characterize him as a genius as well as a national icon. One of Benjamin Franklin’s successfully revolutionized the newspaper business and printing trade.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a representation of the new prospect of upward mobility in colonial America during the 18th century and the development of the Age of Reason, which assisted in the conception of the idea of the “American Dream”; a dream that includes fundamentally social ideals such as democracy, equality, and material prosperity. Furthermore, Franklin’s autobiography exemplifies a significant shift in focus from religion to enlightenment and reason. Additionally, there were forces specific to Benjamin Franklin's Philadelphia, that played an important role in his perspectives and the changes that occurred within colonial America during the 18th century.
Franklin’s autobiography begins with his birth in Boston in 1706. Being the 15 of 17 children his father sent him to school to become minister. “Josiah intended for Benjamin to enter into the clergy. However, Josiah could only afford to send his son to school for one year and clergymen needed years of schooling. But, as young Benjamin loved to read he had him apprenticed to his brother James, who was a printer.” (Ushistory) During his apprenticeship with his brother, his fighting finally led him to quit his job and move to Philadelphia where he got a job working for Samuel Keimer. Later then goes to England, spending 18 months working for a printer. In 1726 his comes back to America and starts a debating club called Junto. In 1728 Ben takes control of the Pennsylvania Gzettette makes it profitable through the tools he learned in England. In 1730, Ben marries Deborah Reed and has two children with her. The autobiography stops for a bit and then begins ag...
Benjamin Franklin was born in 1706 in Boston. He had many brothers and sisters in which he had to compete with to accomplish anything. He was sent to school to become a clergy member but was withdrawn by his father after only to years because the great cost it was to send him. Benjamin’s short time in school opened him up to reading. And he became a phenomenal reader. He loved to read and wanted to write his own works. His father sent him to work with his brother at a printing press factory. Working at the printing office inspired...
Even though Franklin notes that he and his family were by no means aristocrats, they did live relatively comfortable. They were comfortable in the sense that even though Benjamin Franklin started working at a very young age, he was still able to go to grammar school at age eight. There he quickly rose to the head of his class, and before long he was sent to a different grammar school to develop his writing and math skills. While he failed at math, he was very good at writing. Although Franklin did not finish his education, he still continued to read and write. Franklin’s father, noticing that he was particularly interested in reading put Benjamin to work for his brother James who was a printer in Boston. At age twelve, Benjamin Franklin signed an indenture to work for his brother for the next eight years.
Benjamin’s father had hoped that Benjamin would enter into the clergy but he could not afford for his son to go to school for many years. His love of knowledge made him a great reader, so he read everything he could get his hands on. Franklin worked with his father until he was 12. Then is father decided to have Benjamin become an apprentice to his brother James, James was a printer. Benjamin and his brother James composed pamphlets and set type and Benjamin would sell their stuff in the streets.
Later on, differences arose between Benjamin and James that caused Ben to run away to New York and then Philadelphia in search of a printing job. After a little searching, and a little help from another printer's father, Franklin found work at Keimer's printing house. Through his acquaintances Franklin managed to get support from the governor, but not his father, to set up a printing shop; all this and he wasn't even twenty-one years of age! However, when he went to London to pick up printing supplies he discovered that the governor whom he thought supported him had lied to him about setting up a printing shop. Having found this out, he searched for and found work at a famous printing house in London. Franklin stayed in London for eighteen months before heading back to Pennsylvania.
Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston Massachusetts in 1706 Franklin’s father Josiah Franklin was a soap and candle maker, and the father of 10 children. During Franklin’s childhood his father had envisioned Benjamin becoming a student for the ministry. However, the cost of Benjamin’s education would far surpass the means of the Franklin family. As a result Benjamin Franklin was brought to his father’s shop to work as an apprentice and general handyman. Franklin disliked the work at his father’s shop and said in his Autobiography regarding the matter, “I was employed in cutting Wick for candles, filling the Dipping Mold, and the Mold for cast Candles, attending the Shop, going of Errands, etc. I dislik’d the Trade and had a strong Inclination for the Sea; but my father declar’d against it.” At the age of 12 Benjamin was sent to be an apprentice to his brother James who was setting up a printing business in Boston. Benjamin agreed to work for his brother until the age of 21. The printing apprenticeship exposed Franklin to literature, which would become essent...
Benjamin Franklin completed many accomplishments from childhood to adulthood. When he was just 22 he established his first printing business with a partner, Hugh Meredith. Benjamin soon bought out Hugh Meredith's share. In 1732, when Franklin was only 26 he published the first edition of 'Poor Richards Almanack,' the book shows evidence that it was successful for 25 years. 'Poor Richards Almanack' allowed Franklin to retire from business a rich man in 1748. In 1741 Benjamin Franklin invented the Franklin Stove. The stove was handy for both, heating a room or cooking. In 1752 Benjamin Franklin conducted his famous electricity experiment with a kite. In 1757 Franklin returned to England as a Colonial agent for Pennsylvania. Next, in the year of 171 Benjamin began to write his own autobiography. In 1775 as a member of the Continental Congress, Franklin advocated separation from England. In 1776 Franklin helped draft the Declaration of Independence, in the fall he goes to France to plead the American cause. In 1778, Benjamin arranged the American Alliance with France, which soon led...