Known for his influential role in the debates that established the founding documents of the United States, Benjamin Franklin was not only an astute politician, but also an Atlantic citizen whose commitment to the American cause was informed by years spent in England and France. The life of this iconic founder provides an ideal opportunity for students to take a closer look at eighteenth century colonial society and the contested formation of the early American nation.
When Louis XVI presented Benjamin Franklin with a snuff box encrusted with diamonds and inset with the King’s portrait, the gift troubled Americans: it threatened to “corrupt” Franklin by clouding his judgment or altering his attitude toward the French in subtle psychological ways. This broad understanding of political corruption—rooted in ideals of civic virtue—was a driving force at the Constitutional Convention.
Introduces Benjamin Banneker, a free black man of the eighteenth century who loved to learn and used his knowledge and observations to build a wooden clock, write an almanac, and help survey the streets of Washington, D.C.
Among the many great Americans, Benjamin Franklin stands out as one of the first and greatest. Born in an era of fear, fear of God, fear of witches, of the Indian-infested forests, his life is a story of courage. He added to the glory and reputation of America not only by establishing some of her great institutions but by making her understood and respected in other lands. Benjamin Franklin is America for he is the perfect example of what can be done in this land of opportunity by ANYONE who has the desire and determination to succeed.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is the traditional name for the unfinished record of his own life written by Benjamin Franklin from 1771 to 1790; however, Franklin himself appears to have called the work his Memoirs. Although it had a tortuous publication history after Franklin's death, this work has become one of the most famous and influential examples of autobiography ever written. REUPLOAD NEEDED
