Benjamin Franklin Research Paper

Benjamin Franklin: The Original American Benjamin Franklin was born in the year 1706 in Boston. He was his father’s, Josiah Franklin, fifteenth child. One could be certain that when Benjamin was still a boy, he would have never thought of himself as a potential American hero of sorts. He just did not contain the typical standards of a “hero.” Benjamin had not taken part in any outstanding military conquests and did not rescue any damsels in distress. Franklin did on the other hand, help create a more ingenuous society based more on reason and logic, rather than the cultural norm of just doing what one is told to do. His achievements in this field as well as others helped him become a true archetypal American. In the 1700s, as well as in modern

His second virtue was as follows, “Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or your self. Avoid trifling conversation” (95). You can see this ideal of his come into being through his discussion group, “Junto”. This discussion group had a set of laws and codes, one of those being silence and the necessity to have the group be kept as a secret. In this group Benjamin and his scholarly acquaintances could discuss tough topics, without offending others throughout the community. Part of creating an outstanding environment gave him his third virtue, “Order: Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time” (95). This specific virtue can be seen throughout his autobiography. On page 100 of the book, you can see that order and organization was a very important part of his life, due to the fact that he had each hour of his day planned out. In 1778 many of his papers were ransacked from Philadelphia during the war. On this topic he speaks again on the importance of order by saying, “…I have always thought that one man of tolerable abilities may work great changes, & accomplish great affairs among Mankind, if he first forms a good plan, and, cutting off all amusements or other employments that would divert his attention…” (106). Benjamin’s idea of keeping himself in some sort of order prevented himself and other around him from making mistakes that could be detrimental to their