AMERICAN POLICY EXAMINER. A Tea Party Activist's Guide to American Political Science.

Benjamin Franklin, Scientist and Diplomat (1706 - 1790)

Biography

Benjamin Franklin was a scientist, an inventor, a printer, a publisher, a writer, a librarian, an entrepreneur, and a firefighter. However some of the most important accomplishments, which were essential to the founding of the United States of America, came under the titles of 'foreign minister' and 'politician.' Not only was Benjamin Franklin one of the most senior delegates to the Continental Congress, but he was one in a committee of five charged with writing the Declaration of Independence. He was a diplomat responsible for the Treaty of Paris, and was a leader in the development of the Constitution. Benjamin Franklin was the only Founding Father who was the signer of all three documents. After the founding of the United States of America, Benjamin Franklin became a three-term 'president' of the State of Pennsylvania as well as the president of the Pennsylvania Abolitionist Society, which was the first of its kind.

Born in Boston on January 17, 1706, Benjamin Franklin was the fifteenth child to his father Josiah Franklin and the eighth child to his mother Abiah Folger. Franklin came from a modest background as his father earned a living as a candle and soap maker. His upbringing was also deeply rooted in Puritanism. Josiah was also a deeply religious convert of Puritanism and Abiah was born into a Puritan family that was one of the first to escape to Massachusetts in the midst of religious persecution under King Charles I of England.

As a child, Josiah sent young Benjamin to study with the clergy but after only two years could no longer afford the education. Benjamin Franklin would continue his education on his own as he became a vigorous reader. At the age of 11, he worked with his father but was not satisfied. At the age of 12, he followed in his brother James footsteps in an apprenticeship that taught him the printer's trade. Franklin eventually became one of the most influential printers and publishers of his time.

At the age of 17, Franklin wrote the “Silence Dogood Letters” to his brother James' paper under a fictitious name because he knew his brother wouldn't publish something he had written. After James' discovered and disapproved of his brother's work, Franklin quit his apprenticeship and escaped to Philadelphia without permission.

In Philadelphia, Franklin worked for several printer shops but would quickly seek Governor Sir William Keith's permission to go to London where he would seek equipment to establish a new newspaper. However, Governor Keith backed off his support of the trip and Franklin was forced to began work as a typesetter and wouldn't return to Philadelphia until 1727.

While in England, Franklin gained experience in the intellectual and artistic matters that London provided. He developed what he explained in his autobiography as a self-improvement plan which was based on 13 virtues: temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity, and humility. Each week, he focused on self-improvement of one while improving on the others passively.

Upon returning to Philadelphia, Franklin joined a club of business, friendship and conversation called the Junto. This group was a platform for discussing the important issues of the day. Reading was essential for the group, but due to the rarity of books and their expense, Franklin devised a plan for a subscription library (1731) where member's funds went toward the purchase of books and the books were then shared among all of the members. The Junto was highly successful and lasted over 30 years. Meanwhile, it became a standard that was used in the formation of many groups in Philadelphia at the time. Meanwhile, the Library Company of Philadelphia moved to the State House of Pennsylvania and now is known as Independence Hall. The library today now holds over 500,00 books, 160,000 manuscripts, and 75,000 graphic items.

In 1729, Benjamin Franklin took up the printers trade once again and became the sole publisher of The Pennsylvania Gazette by 1730. He used his newspaper as a means to communicate his opinions and over time he developed a respectful reputation with his commentary. The newspaper became one of the major newspapers in the colonies and lasted for over a hundred years.

The same year he became sole publisher of the Gazette, he married Deborah Read, whom he had known since 1723. The marriage, although long-lasting, was filled with struggles. Due to a fear of the sea, Deborah would never accompany Franklin on his overseas trips, which left her alone for long periods of time. Their marriage lasted for 44 years before Deborah died of a stroke while Franklin was in Britain.

Franklin's first son was born in 1731 and was taken into Franklin's household with Deborah, despite the boy being illegitimate. Franklin and his son William remained close for many years, but this relationship became strained as William became an advocate and loyalist of the British throne. He was the last loyalist governor of New Jersey and had been a leader of The Board of Associated Loyalists—militia-type organization based in New York City. William's pro-British stance led Benjamin Franklin to disown his son who would eventually leave for Britain and never return.

In 1732, Benjamin Franklin officially became a successful author with the publication of his famous book Poor Richard's Almanack under the alias of 'Richard Saunders.' The almanac was filled with witty sayings and wise advice. The book was named after his friend's battleship "Bonhomme Richard" which meant 'poor Richard' in 18th century French.

Benjamin Franklin's career of public service began in 1736 when he created “Union Fire Company,” which was the first volunteer fire fighting organization in America. The members paid dues and were fined for violations of the organizations rules. After seven years, they collected enough money to buy its own 18th century fire engine. Two decades later, Franklin founded the first fire-insurance company in which those who paid for the insurance would reimbursed should a fire damage their property.

Although Franklin had invented a swimming fin early in his youth, Franklin didn't begin a serious study and career as an inventor and scientist until 1743 when he began to observe the formation of storms. After a storm disrupted Franklin's planned observation of a lunar eclipse, further inquiry led Franklin to discover that people in Boston were able to view the eclipse before the storm arrived. Frankly theorized that the direction of the prevailing wind is not always the direction in which the storm is moving. It was the first recognition of storm systems, which would become the basis for meteorology. Franklin furthered his innovative curiosity by creating the Pennsylvania Fireplace in 1744. This new stove design would be improved by someone else, and this design is known as the 'Franklin Stove' which is still currently still in use.

Also in 1743, Franklin furthered his public career when made plans for the Pennsylvania Academy and College, which would officially open 1751. He became the college's president in 1749 and less than a decade later, the college held its first commencement, where seven men graduated. From this college, the University of Pennsylvania was formed.

In the spirit of public service, Benjamin Franklin who had already created a fire-fighting company and was in the process of developing a college, Franklin tackled an urgent security problem by forming the Pennsylvania militia in 1747. He organized meetings and recruited members, using his Gazette as a tool. The Pennsylvania militia expanded to more than 10,000 volunteer soldiers during the colonial years.

It was about this time when Benjamin Franklin made the decision to retire from printing. He was able to do so with the help of the financial security enjoyed from the success of his book Poor Richard's Almanack. By retiring, Franklin was able to refocus his time to the dedication of scientific discoveries, particularly with his work with electricity. In 1750, his work payed off with his invention of the lightning rod and by 1751, he published his experiments with electricity. The following year, Franklin conducted his now-famous kite experiment in which he proved the existence of electricity in storm clouds.

During these years, Franklin began to also get involved in politics and his career became a rapid succession from a councilman in 1748 to 'Justice of the Peace' in 1749, to a Pennsylvania Assemblyman in 1751. In the summer of 1753 he was appointed as joint 'Deputy Postmaster-General of North America.' During his time as postmaster, Franklin made one of his most notable contributions: reformation of the postal system.

In the Pennsylvania legislature, Benjamin Franklin was responsible for a charter to establish a hospital. After five years of working on the project, the Pennsylvania Hospital developed. The specific purpose of the institution was to provide medical care to the poor and mentally ill in the city of Philadelphia.

Benjamin lead the Pennsylvania delegation to the Albany Congress in 1754. The meeting had been requested by England as a means to improve relations between the colonialists and the Native Americans and to develop a plan for a defense against the French. At the assembly, Franklin proposed a plan for uniting the colonies into a confederation. This was the first formal plan for the union of the colonies. Although the proposal did not gain traction at the assembly, it was a stepping stone that foreshadowed the events to come.

Benjamin Franklin's career as a diplomat took off in 1757 he was chosen by the Pennsylvania Assembly to be an agent of diplomacy to the government of Britain. The colony was becoming increasingly concerned by the influence of the Penn family, who were the proprietors of the colony. By 1761, Franklin's duties transformed as he was once again signed to the position of 'Deputy Post Masters General of North America.'

While in London, Franklin became involved in political groups including the Club of Honest Whigs, continued writing and had his book Way to Wealth published, and continued his inventions. In 1762, he developed a glass armonica, which became popular throughout Europe. In fact, Mozart and Beethoven composed music centered on the instrument and French queen Marie Antoinette learned to play it.

While still an agent to Britain, Benjamin Franklin returned to Pennsylvania, which was in the midst of great infighting and turmoil. In what is known as the 'Pontiac Rebellion,' a group of settlers who felt the colony wasn't doing enough to protect its citizens from Native American raids, marched on Philadelphia. At this point, Franklin organized the militia to stem the rebellion.

On the political front, the Pennsylvania Assembly was in a political crisis with the heirs of William Penn. Franklin once again decided to take the proprietor's of Pennsylvania to task through the formation of the “anti-proprietary party.” His struggles against the Penn family helped him get elected as Speaker of the Pennsylvania House in May 1764, but a political miscalculation in which people viewed him as pro-royal government led to his loss of the seat by October. Instead, the “pro-proprietary party” sent Franklin back to Britain to once again seek help against the Penn family's dominance. However, once he step foot in London, events unfolded that would distract Franklin from his original purpose.

In 1765, while Benjamin Franklin was in London, the British Parliament imposed a new tax on the colonies of British America. The new act required printed materials in the colonies be produced on stamped paper from London, which carried an embossed revenue stamp. The colonialists were furious and at first believed Franklin to be supportive of the measure because he had appointed a friend to the position of stamp distributor for Pennsylvania. However, upon learning of the fury, he engaged the British House of Commons on the matter, which led to its repeal. From this, Benjamin Franklin's favorable reputation increased drastically and he soon would become the central spokesman for America's interests in Britain and became an agent for not only Pennsylvania but several other colonies including Massachusetts.

By the beginning of the 1770s, Franklin began traveling around the British colonies in western Europe. While in Ireland, he began to experience first hand the poverty and the misery that directly resulted from Britain's colonial exploitations. He visited with the Irish Parliament as well as Lord Kames of Scotland. Franklin increasingly feared that the same policies that were affecting these countries was trending into America. Franklin began private correspondences with Governor Thomas Hutchinson of Massachusetts, detailing his belief and fear of British oppression of Bostonians. By March of 1775, the British parliament ridiculed Franklin at the Privy Council and any hopes for peaceful resolution was for American colonies was lost.

When Benjamin Franklin returned to Philadelphia soon after the Privy Council, the American Revolution was already on its way and the fighting had begun in Lexington and Concord. The Pennsylvania Assembly unanimously chose Franklin to be their delegate at the Second Continental Congress, where he was to play an instrumental role in the rebellion against Britain.

In November of 1775, the Second Continental Congress created a 'Committee of Secret Correspondence' for the development of securing America's interests in Britain and Europe. This committee, in which Franklin was one of five members, was charged with conducting covert operations. The committee authorized secret agents and paid propaganda in what became America's first foreign intelligence operation.

Franklin was also appointed to another five member committee charged with formulating the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Although he was sick at times, he did take the liberty to make some minor changes to Thomas Jefferson's draft and on July 4, 1776, the American colonies formally rescinded its ties to the British throne and the colonies began to pool their resources into a full-fledged revolution.

Before the end of the year of Independence, Benjamin Franklin was sent to France as a commissioner for the United States and he would stay there until 1785. His success in Paris can not be understated, and this success was essential for the success in the Revolution back in America. In 1778, Benjamin Franklin was able to secure an important military alliance with France, which gave the United States much needed support for battle victories that may not have otherwise been possible.

In 1783, the Americans were in the midst of victory and Benjamin Franklin joined John Adams and John Jay in successfully securing a new treaty. The Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783 and was ratified by the Congress of Confederation on January 14, 1784, formally ending the Revolutionary War. The Treaty of Paris had ten key articles which did the following: acknowledged the thirteen colonies to be free and sovereign and required Britain to relinquish all government, proprietary and territorial rights; established the boundaries of the United States; established fishing rights off the coast of Newfoundland and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence; recognized lawful contracted debts; recommended Congress to grant restitution to British loyalists for confiscated lands and the prevention of more acts of confiscation; released prisoners of war; granted access of both parties to the Mississippi River; and captured territories subsequent to the treaty would be returned without compensation.

Despite the rigorous diplomacy required for the Paris Treaty and later the treaty with Sweden, Franklin was able to continue his career of innovation. In 1784 he was asked by the French Academy of the Sciences to investigate Franz Friedrich Anton Mesmer who was a Viennese physician who claimed to be able to cure people with many different diseases using a force he labeled “animal magnetism.” Franklin debunked Mesmer's claims using controlled experiments. Later the same year, Franklin invented bifocals after being annoyed at having to constantly change between reading glasses and glasses used to see in the distance. By directing an optician to cut two pairs of lenses horizontally and remount them in one frame, Franklin used the bottom lenses for reading and the one's mounted on top for looking in the distance.

Benjamin Franklin returned to the United States of America just in time for a new movement to develop which advocated an upheaval of the Confederate system and replaced with a federal republic that had enough power in the central government to fulfill its duties effectively. This required the power to tax the states to pay off the war debts. At the Philadelphia Convention, Benjamin Franklin held an honorary position and rarely engaged in the debate over the development of the new Constitution. When debate was over and the new Constitution was constructed, Franklin proudly signed it.

The Philadelphia Convention was not the only political involvement Franklin engaged in. In 1787, Franklin became the proud president of the Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery and the Relief of Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage. The society had been founded by Quakers and was the first of its kind in the colonies. Later he would write several essays to persuade readers of the importance of freeing blacks and integrating them into American society.

Benjamin Franklin was also elected as the sixth President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania [Governor] in 1785. Franklin held the office for three full one-year terms.

On April 17, 1790, Benjamin Franklin died at the age of 84. Thousands of people attended his funeral and mourned his passing. Many regard his service as second only to George Washington in importance of the founding of the United States of America.