The Political Workings of Benjamin Franklin

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The Political Workings of Benjamin Franklin

• By Andrei Daye

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The Big Question
What were the political writings of Benjamin
Franklin about and why were they so influential
and important?
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A young Benjamin Franklin

• 10th of 17 children
• Less than 2 years of formal education
• Apprentice in brothers printing shop
• Ran away to Philadelphia and became successful
  and wealthy printer and political revolutionary

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The Junto

• Latin for meeting
• Started when Franklin was 21 years old
• Members came from diverse backgrounds
• Members shared an interest in inquiry and
  self-improvement

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A peek into his mind

• Sophisticated
• Writer
• Printer
• Publisher
• Scientist
• Philanthropist
• Diplomat

• Self-educated
• Hard-working
• Self-improved
• Virtuous
• Intelligent
• Witty
• Advanced

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Political Writings

• Poor Richards Almanack
• Autobiography
• Declaration of Independence
• US Constitution

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Poor Richards Almanack

• Written under pen name Richard Saunders
• Not exceedingly political
• Contained advice, encouragement, predictions and
  factual events
• Best known for its witty and practical quotes

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Autobiography

• Written to his illegitimate son
• Written on/off over several years
• Discusses mostly the early years of his life
• Contains strong self-improvement motif

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Declaration of Independence

• Very prominent Founding Father
• More politically interested toward his later
  years of life
• Had a major hand in the content of the
  Declaration of Independence
• Some think the reason he didnt write it himself
  is because the other signers were afraid hed put
  a joke in it.

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US Constitution

• Present at the convention when the Constitution
  was drafted
• Mostly his idea to rewrite as opposed to revise
  Articles of Confederation
• Only Founding Father to have signed all four
  major documents of the forming of the United
  States (the Declaration of Independence, the
  Treaty of Paris, the Treaty of Alliance with
  France, and the United States Constitution)

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Other Beliefs and Political Contributions

• Became the president of the Pennsylvania
  Abolition Society
• Also promoted universal public education

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Cited Sources

• Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin
  Franklin Selections from His Other Writings.
  NY The Modern Library, 2001.
• Wright, Esmond. Benjamin Franklin A Profile. NY
  Hill and Wang, 1970.
• "The Papers of Benjamin Franklin." Franklin
  Papers. 3 Dec 2007 klin/.
• "A Quick Biography of Benjamin Franklin." The
  Electric Ben Franklin. Independence Hall
  Association. 3 Dec 2007 franklin/info/.