Benjamin Franklin - Research Paper Example

Prof’s There are sometimes people out of time, men that should have been born in another era, that have skillsor knowledge that are out of whack with when they live. Tesla, for instance, probably would be more at home today than he was in his own era, and likewise Alan Turing’s thoughts and ideas were distinctly twenty-first, not twentieth century. Benjamin Franklin was one such man, but possibly going the other direction in time – he was a true renaissance man, and probably one of the last. Though he lived three centuries after the renaissance, his eclectic interests, and ability to achieve the highest level of proficiencies in all of them makes one think of the famous renaissance men of centuries earlier. Like Leonardo da Vinci, the prototypical renaissance man, Franklin was a prolific inventor, many of whose discoveries and inventions are still in use today. He was also a pure scientist, a politician, a statesman, a writer, activist, political scientist and inventor (Morgan 2003). He helped shape one of the most important countries in modern history, the United States of America, and helped shape its constitution and structure, which still exists today as the longest lived functioning constitution (Isaacson 2003). With all this, it is impossible to list all of his contributions and truly understand what a giant shadow he has cat over the modern world. Benjamin Franklin was possibly the first and last American renaissance man, truly embodying American character while achieving a high degree of ability in a wide array of areas, especially science and politics. Firstly, it is important to understand how much Franklin embodies American ideals, especially modern American ideals – he probably helped shape them. Unlike most of the founding fathers, Franklin did not emerge from wealthy landed classes (Morgan 2003), but rather had working class background. His father was a simple candle maker, a working class but relatively successful profession, and his mother was only one generation removed from a history of indentured servitude (Isaacson 2003) He did not inherit a great deal of wealth, but rather had to work his own way to prominence, eventually becoming a successful newspaper editor in Philadelphia, and the president of Pennsylvania (Isaacson 2003). America has long been proud of its lack of a monarchy or aristocracy (Isaacson 2003), and many Americans value their independence and individuality, and respect those who build their own legacies more than those who inherit them (Isaacson 2003). Benjamin Franklin is thus one of the founders of the American ideal of humanity, as he embodies these individualist, self-made ideas exactly, unlike many of the other founding fathers who were born, quite literally to a silver spoon, plantations and fields of slaves. I would argue that not only did he embody the American spirit, but the enormous respect for his intellect and nature helped shape the American identity, so it is not coincidental that he embodies it, as he helped to found it. Beyond embodying the American spirit, even the modern American spirit, very well, Franklin was also the true definition of a renaissance man. He is possibly most famous for his experimentation with the study of electricity, mythologized in the famous tale of the kite and the key (), and his eventual invention of the lightning rod. Beyond his scientific pursuits in that vein, he also invented many things that are still used to this day – he invented the odometer, to measure the distance a carriage had traveled, bifocal glasses, new types of stoves, and a glass armonica (Smith 2012). These inventions are impressive – people still wear bifocal glasses to this day, and the basic principles of his odometer are the same as those used in vehicles today. However, what is possibly most impressive about Franklin is that these inventions did not define his life, as they would of lesser men, but only served as a background to his most influential accomplishments: his role in the creation and founding of the United States of America. Of all of the so-called founding fathers, Franklin may be the oldest and the most influential. Many people know his role in helping write the first American constitution, the Articles of Confederation, and his subsequent help as elder statesman during the creation of the American Constitution that lives until this day. However, he is not recognized for his role in being a founder of the revolution. Years before the revolution began, Franklin was publishing a populist newspaper fighting against the Monarchy, and criticizing British rule of the colonies (Morgan 2003). He thus laid essential groundwork for the revolution years before it actually occurred. Once the revolution actually got underway, Franklin helped draft the Declaration of Independence, making changes to the drafts that Jefferson sent to him (Morgan 2003). Finally, during the crucial early years of America’s existence, when it needed substantial military and economic support from abroad, Franklin served as the ambassador to France, helping the French realize that it was in their best interest to support the American revolution. He was critical in negotiating the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which ended the revolutionary war along with granting America significantly larger boundaries than it had previously. Thus, in every stage of the revolution, from before its existence, to its opening to its closure, Franklin was one of the key figures. His political philosophy helped shape the American constitution, and thus steer American history for centuries to come. Benjamin Franklin was truly an amazing man, a renaissance man born centuries too late. But it is lucky for America and for the world that he was born and raised when he was, because his contributions to science, invention and politics are some of the most important in modern history. He shaped the ideal for an American identity, glorifying working class roots and the self made man above aristocratic heritage, and invented many things still in use today. He was truly a founding father, helping shape the nature of the revolution before it even started, during its opening stages, and being the principle negotiator of the treaty that ended it. Works Cited Smith, A. Inventor. Franklin Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2012 Isaacson, W. (2003). Benjamin Franklin: An American Life. New York: Penguin Morgan, E. S (2003). Benjamin Franklin. New York: Penguin Read More