|
|
This is only a preview of the paper
Click here to register and get the full text.
Existing members click here to login
|
|
|
Article One: “Benjamin Franklin Joins the Revolution” by Walter Isaacson According to the generally accepted view of history, Benjamin Franklin was an early patriot and supporter of American Independence. He was very popular, being thought of as a humble American who dressed like a backwoodsman but was a match for any wit in the world. After the repealing of the 1765 stamp act, he began to wonder if America should break free of England, and felt that the corruption in the upper class and British Royalty must be acted upon. Franklin was elected to the Second Continental Congress and worked on a committee of five that helped to draft the Declaration of Independence. Though much of the writing was Thomas Jefferson's, much of the contribution was Franklin's. In 1776, Franklin signed the Declaration, and afterward sailed to France as an ambassador to the Court of Louis XVI. Partially due to Franklin's popularity, the government of France signed a Treaty of Alliance with the Americans in 1778. Franklin also helped secure loans and persuade the French they were doing the right thing. Franklin was on hand to sign the Treaty of Paris in 1783, after the Americans had won the Revolution. In Walter Isaacson’s, “Benjamin Franklin Joins the Revolution,” several differences of opinion relating to the views and actions of Mr. Franklin prove to be self-evident. For example, though many believe that he was completely for the American Revolution long before the creation of the Declaration of Independence, this was not the case. For a long time, Franklin hoped that Britain and America would “flourish in one great expanding empire.” It was not until The Battle of Bunker hill and the burning of Charleston in Juno of 1775 that Franklin began to feel that independence was somewhat necessary. Another difference deals with the creation of the Declaration of Independence. Many believe that Ben Franklin played an integral role in writing the document, but during the time that it was being written, although he was on the drafting committee, he was bedridden due to boils and gout. Once it was finished, Jefferson sent it to Franklin for revision (even then, he only made a few alterations). Yet another difference is that though Franklin was thought of as a brilliant orator, in reality, his powers of speech were not as excellent as they were believed to be. As stated by Abigail Adams upon having dinner with Franklin, he was not very talkative, but “when he spoke something useful dropped from his tongue.” Whether in casual conversation or political arguments, Franklin was never a fan of speaking openly. Not wanting to publicize his views, he kept quiet about whether or not he was in favor of independence and avoided any situation in which this topic may surface. At the Second Constitutional Convention, his silence was so extreme that many delegates began to believe he was a loyalist. To put an end to this idea, he did things such as bringing contact with his loyalist son, William, to a minimum and let circulate a passionate and furious letter to one of his friends in the British Parliament, even though it was not actually sent, in order to feign extreme patriotism.
Approximate Word count = 2080
Approximate Pages = 8.3
(250 words per page double spaced)
|
|
|
|
|
|