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... udon in order to remain anonymous. Hence, Richard Saunders Philomath is created by Franklin and predestined to write his almanac. Benjamin Franklins almanac was a tremendous success; no other book in the colonies sold more copies, except the Bible (Doren 148).
With success comes recognition and Franklin was most certainly recognized within the colonies. Year after year, Franklin packed the almanac with his sayings and rearranged proverbs. Franklins Biographer Milton Meltzer says, Franklin was adept at taking other peoples lines and giving them a wry twist that enhanced their flavor and drove home their meaning (90). For instance, an old proverb goes God resort health and physicians hath the thanks. Franklin wrote this as God heals and the doctor takes the fee (90). However, the majority of Franklins sayings were original; such as a penny saved is a penny earned, or It is hard for an empty sack to stand upright (Doren 160).
The almanac was to run for twenty-five years, earning Benjamin Franklin the tittle Father of Common Sense among his contemporaries (Crane 55). The success of the almanac helped establish a good reputation for Franklin. People started to look at Franklin as a role model and above all as a symbol of Americas opportunities. This trust proved to be priceless in Franklins political endeavors. His political exertions within the founding of the United States of America were clearly unmatched by any politician. This can easily be proven by the fact that he is the only man who signed all four key documents in American History: the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Peace with Great Britain, the Treaty of Alliance with France, and the Constitution of the United States (Eiselen 412).
Franklin was by far the most influential man in the colonies; he was a natural leader fulfilled with original ideas. However, Franklin was not content with the fact that he was wealthy and successful; he wanted to give back to the community. According to author Helen Augur, Franklins motto was to improve himself through improving his community (77). Benjamin Franklin did a lot toward improving the Philadelphian community and soon the entire nation. In 1727, Franklin started the Junto Club as a collective effort at self-improvement (Doren 74). The Junto Club was like a modern day salon in which intellects could discuss everyday problems.
One of the clubs most impressive feats was the commencement of the first circulating library in America, an idea that was soon copied throughout the colonies (Meltzer 96). This was vintage Franklin, for he always knew how to take everyday problems and solve them. For example, one of the first challenges he undertook was the paving of the streets. Everyone in Philadelphia knew that the roads were dangerous and a nuisance, but no one ever took action, until Franklin came along. He would first discuss the problem at hand with his friends at the Junto Club, and if they all seemed to agree, Franklin would take it a step further and publish it in his newspaper (Meltzer 98). If he noticed he had the publics solidarity, he would take it yet another step further by printing pamphlets and distributing them door to door (99).
This finally put enough pressure on the establishment to do something and soon all the streets began to get paved. Franklins perseverance and influence had won him a victory. This must have had a tremendous psychological effect on Franklin, for shortly there after, he began to tackle many issues by taking the same steps as noted before. With this persistence Franklin helped to establish a fire department, a police department, and the University of Pennsylvania (103). In addition to Franklins many victories for the community in general, he also helped to establish a militia for the protection of the establishment itself (Doren 88). As previously mentioned the Philadelphia colony was established and ran by Quakers who because of religious reasons and values absolutely refused to take arms.
This philosophy had helped keep the community safe hitherto. However, in 1747 there was a serious threat of invasion by the natives, so Franklin sprang into action. He rushed a pamphlet to the press and soon received the support from the Governor of Philadelphia (Meltzer 106). In a matter of days over ten thousand men volunteered for the militia (107). The troops brought their own arms and drilled themselves over and over. Fortunately for the community the invasion never took place, however, the men where glad to know that they would have been ready.
Being the only man to take charge during the communities time of crisis, Franklin now received a whole new sort of respect from his contemporaries. In 1748, after much deliberation Franklin decided to retire from the printing business. He was only forty-two years old, but very wealthy and well respected. But even in retirement, Franklin still continued to contribute to society.
He became very intrigued by the chaotic spelling conventions of the English language, and typically enough, proposed its reform. In 1768, Franklin published a paper entitled A Scheme for the New Alphabet and a Reformed Mode of Spelling (Mc Crum 227). And even though the reform was never adopted, it still had a profound influence on many scholars including Americas great lexicographer, Noah Webster (228). However, this was not the first time Franklin had contributed to the English language, for it is undeniable that his newspaper editorials helped enrich the vocabulary of the early settlers.
Benjamin Franklin died in 1790 at the age of eighty-four. Having lived a life full of progress and commitment to his community. Franklin repeatedly stressed the importance of frugality in ones life in order to be truly happy. Many would agree that this is easy to say after your wealthy and successful, however, Franklin was the kind of man who would give it all up for a cause he believed in.
He proved this on the eve of the American Revolution, when the famous Boston Tea Party took place. Can you believe Franklin actually offered to repay Britain for the cost of the tea? According to Biographer Verner Crane this is exactly what Benjamin Franklin did to try to prevent the colonies from going to war (90). If Britain would have accepted Franklins offer this would have bankrupted him. Franklin was always looking out for his fellow settler.
Ironically, when the drums of war were beating it was Franklins call to arms during the threat of the invasion that guided the colonies to victory. After the revolution, Franklin wanted nothing more then to ensure the success of the future nation. By helping to create and advocate important documents like the Constitution and the Treaty with England, Franklin did ensure the lasting success of the Republic. His obsession to educate every settler truly had a significant contribution to the well being of our nation today. Even though, Franklin was a very multi-talented individual the only thing he wanted inscribed on his tombstone was Benjamin Franklin, printer (Eiselen 416). For this was the key to advocating all of his ideas.
I believe Franklin would be proud to know that he is still being printed everyday on the face of the United States highest circulating currency bill, the hundred-dollar bill. Bibliography: Works Cited Adler, David. Benjamin Franklin: Printer, Inventor, and Statesman. New York: Holiday Press, 1992. Augur, Helen. The Secret War of Independence.
New York: Brown, 1979. Crane, Verner. Benjamin Franklin and a Rising People. ed. by Oscar Handling.
Boston: Brown, 1979. Doren, Van Carl. Benjamin Franklin. New York: Viking, 1938. Edens, Jake. Benjamin Franklin.
The World Book. 1928 ed. Franklin, Benjamin. Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. New York: Spencer Press, 1938.
Locke, William. Benjamin Franklin. The Book of Knowledge. 1954 ed. Looby, Chris.
Benjamin Franklin. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1990. Mc Crum, Robert, William Cran, and Robert MacNeil. The Story of English. Rev.
ed. New York: Penguin, 1992. Meltzer, Milton. Benjamin Franklin: The New American.
New York: Franklin Watts, 1988.
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Research essay sample on Benjamin Franklin English Language
