Benjamin Franklin: Influencing the American Life

Jennifer Schwope

English 2327-008

9-28-15

Benjamin Franklin: Influencing the American Life

Benjamin Franklin was many things to our nation including; a founding father, inventor, writer, teacher and political leader to name a few. He made many important changes and advancements to our country that we still utilize.

Political involvement by Franklin is a very popular reason we acknowledge him as a founding Father of our Nation. In May 1775, when he returned to Philadelphia from England, he was chosen to represent the second continental congress and served on the committee for the declaration of independence.  He was a large contributor to the Declaration of Independence and was on the delegation the Paris Peace Conference in which brought the Revolutionary War to an end.

Most of Franklin's contributions were for the improvement of the American life. Dedication to his country and enhancing the lives of the American people was always a very strong influence in his achievements. He was the founder of the first lending library in 1731( the Philadelphia Library), the first volunteer fire department in 1736 (the Union Fire Department), and the United States postal system.

Inventions during the 1700's were a great part of the advancements in technology and the new ideas of scientific discoveries. Franklin did not hold back, inventing and trying many new ideas. He invented the Franklin stove, that helped heat homes as well as cooked food. And what would we do without the bi focal? These two inventions were only two out of many inventions Franklin created that we still use today.

Franklin's many writings throughout his life were always to teach lessons of personal gains and improvements. Persuasion was a notable strong suit of Franklin and would help him gain notoriety throughout the world. Through this strength of persuasion he brought many different groups of people together to make improvements.  He was known  as a "free thinker" or a believer in The Age of Enlightenment, which used the combination of science, reason, and logic. His beliefs were not always agreeable. One example of this is slavery.  His views eventually changed as he grew older and experienced new perceptions while in Europe. As he returned home from helping the French he wrote the "Maritime Observations" in which he states "he cannot look on a piece of sugar without conceiving it stained with spots of human blood!" This was not a popular belief during this time. His progressive views on the world are what set him apart from others. He also wrote a piece on the prosecution of women in "The Speech of Miss Polly Baker".