Benjamin Franklin's Childhood And Early Life

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Benjamin Franklin’s childhood and early life significantly shaped his activities and contributions. These activities made him a successful statesman because of the character they gave him. They also gave him the life experience that enabled him to relate to people on a deeper level through his difficult life experiences. To begin with, Franklin realized the importance of education at a very early age, giving him a head start even though he was never educated formally. “He began reading all the books he could find. He often borrowed them from neighbors” (Benjamin). After originally wanting his son to become a candle and soap maker, Benja soon realized that his son’s gifts made him perfect for the printing press. “By the time he was a teenager, Franklin was an excellent writer and editor” (Benjamin). He wrote under the pseudonym, Mrs. Silence Dogood and published his observations and stories all while captivating the people of Boston with his charisma. This prepared him for the writing projects in his future and because of the …show more content…

“He developed a reputation as one of the hardest workers anyone had ever met” (Benjamin). There was one occasion when Franklin was promised a trip to England in order to buy printing materials and arrived only to find out the the rich man who had sent him didn’t have the amount of money needed to buy the materials. Although most people put in this position would be angry, Franklin took advantage of the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the English printing press. When he returned to Philadelphia, he owned the Pennsylvania Gazette. In addition to the printing press that fed his love for words, Benjamin Franklin along with some friends, started the first public library. “He believed that access to books was crucial to every person” (Benjamin). Therefore, part of his success as a statesman can be attributed to his compassion and care for