Similarities Between Benjamin Franklin And The Enlightenment

Chelsey Wells

Susan Bamberg

English 251 – 02

July 7, 2015

Benjamin Franklin and the Enlightenment

In the words of Benjamin Franklin “If you would not be forgotten…either write things worth reading or do things worth writing.” (Elkins). By the early 18th century, scientists and philosophers had posed great challenges to the seventeenth-century beliefs, and the modern period…” (Baym, p 159). “Our Revolutionary ancestors” were anything but great when it came down to reading a “book or newspaper”… “yet books had their friends, and a moderate amount of reading might be mastered from year to year.” (Schouler, p 121) During the Enlightenment Era, we see a drift from religious domination to using one own judgements. “Because science made the world

In 1768, Franklin started feeling a sense of detachment from the “mother country.” (Baym, p 235). He was growing more and more in the thought of thinking for yourself and defining who you are by experience. On returning to Philadelphia in 1775, Franklin was “chosen as a representative of the Second Continental Congress.” (Baym, p 235). He also believed that life could be transformed from the church tyrannies and monarchy by getting an education. (p 235). Furthermore, Benjamin Franklin became something to the extent of a “cult hero” … in 1781 he was a member of the American delegation to the Paris peace conference, and he signed the Treaty of Paris, which brought the Revolutionary War to an end.” (Baym, p 235-236). He was also against and wanted to end slavery. As Annette John-Hall, author of Benjamin Franklin’s Mixed Legacy on Race…, Benjamin Franklin did indeed own slaves but if they ran away, he did not go seeking to bring them back. Also, she states that she believe Franklin would “let his antislavery friends know that he knew slavery was wrong but kept quiet elsewhere for political reasons.” (John-

America still use most of the ideas from the Enlightenment Era such as an elective government, Declaration of Independence, and other major political issues. The government still to this day have responsibility to defend the idea of safety for its people. The inventions that Franklin made are still used today. Modern day technology has perfected what the founding father initially created. The Enlightenment Period gave people opportunities to raise questions that others would just leave up to their religious faith to decide what was right or what was wrong. Additionally, books, journals and pamphlets were significant in the colonies everyday life. These reading guides were like a cookbook that had different recipes for different activities. Franklin didn’t want stirred up any controversy with some of his writings and thought processes so he was mostly neutral do to his position. “Founding father Benjamin Franklin still offers inspiration three centuries after his birth for those trying to be healthy, wealthy, and wise.” (Svaldi). It is amazing that the place we live in, the monuments we see, the presidents we choose, the laws we abide by, roots mostly back to Benjamin Franklin and the Enlightenment