Ben Franklin Case

One of the most remarkable men in the history of the United States was Benjamin Franklin. In addition to being one of the founders of the United States Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. Mr. Franklin appears to have been a man who tried to live his life to its fullest potential. Politicians, Government leaders, and citizens of both the early colonial and the United States of America consider Mr. Franklin as a role model, and even today his influence can still be seen.

Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography is considered a great work in American literature, and the events were composed over several time periods of his life. The first five chapters of his Autobiography were composed while he was in England in the year 1771, and he continued writing off and on over the next 16 years until he finished the work in 1788. Although the book does jump over and leave out many historical and notable events in Mr. Franklins life the Autobiography appears to be a unified work of literature when you consider that in the books entirety it is relevant to the life of the author, Benjamin Franklin.

Mr. Franklin also appears to have kept away from any other topics and in doing so he combined the information contained in the book. The primary theme throughout Mr. Franklins Autobiography is his "progression of self-improvement "and the example that he gave us to follow this progression through his words and actions in life. Through Benjamin Franklin's actions in assisting in the building of the foundations of early colonial America the United States of America has survived the test of time as a democratic nation.

Benjamin Franklin appears to have led a very normal childhood. He was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. The tenth son of seventeen siblings that were born to Josiah Franklin, a tallow chandler, and Abiah Folger, who was Josiah's second wife. Consider the fact that that his father was a tallow chandler (soap maker), it is surprising that young Franklin began his life's career working as an apprentice printer at his brother's print shop. He started out printing newspapers for the "New England Courant" yet after having a dispute with his brother young Franklin moved on to Pennsylvania where he began to print his own newspaper known as the "Pennsylvania Gazette".

Clearly it is during this period of young Franklin's early life that allows us some understanding and insight into his motivation and determination in seeking out opportunities for his own self-improvement. It appears that it is through this self-improvement that Mr. Franklin acknowledges God and his own humility, and Mr. Franklin gives credit to his faith in God for his success in life and admits that he could not have been successful without Gods intervention.

Ben Franklin's

...