Summary and Analysis of Benjamin Franklin: Based on the Book by Walter Isaacson
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Summary and Analysis of Benjamin Franklin: Based on the Book by Walter Isaacson
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This short summary and analysis of Benjamin Franklin by Walter Isaacson includes:
- Historical context
- Chapter-by-chapter overviews
- Character profiles
- Detailed timeline of events
- Important quotes
- Fascinating trivia
- Glossary of terms
- Supporting material to enhance your understanding of the original work
In his thorough examination of one of America’s Founding Fathers, biographer Walter Isaacson explores the life and times of Benjamin Franklin and his legacy as a scientist, writer, diplomat, printing mogul, and voice for the common man.
Isaacson follows Franklin from young runaway teenager in Philadelphia, to the savvy statesman coordinating the Franco-American alliance during the Revolutionary War, to the wise, 80-year-old politician at the Constitutional Convention. In between, we learn about Franklin the person—his complicated relationships, his scientific curiosity and brilliant discoveries, and the civic-mindedness that caused him to found a library, a fire department, a university, and a hospital. Franklin’s principles of democracy and admiration for the middle class continue to be at the foundation of American society.
The summary and analysis in this ebook are intended to complement your reading experience and bring you closer to a great work of nonfiction.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781504044097 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Worth Books |
| Publication date: | 02/28/2017 |
| Series: | Smart Summaries |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 30 |
| File size: | 2 MB |
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Summary and Analysis of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
Based on the Book by Walter Isaacson
By Worth Books
OPEN ROAD INTEGRATED MEDIA
Copyright © 2017 Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5040-4409-7
CHAPTER 1
Summary
Chapter One: Benjamin Franklin and the Invention of America
Benjamin Franklin was a true jack-of-all trades, a printer, a writer, a scientist and inventor, a diplomat, a politician, and a revolutionary, but more than anything, he was the man responsible for shaping the American ethos of antielitist middle-class values. He championed hard work, social mobility, and religious tolerance, with an eye toward the welfare of the "middling people." Philanthropy went hand in hand with his religious observance, as he believed that God took notice of a person's generosity — an unusual belief in the Puritan era. He essentially invented American humor with his social commentary.
Need to Know: Franklin's most enduring legacy as a Founding Father is his confidence in the capabilities and wisdom of everyday people This tradition continues to bear out as politicians court the vote of the middle class by appealing to their good sense and reason, attempting to be seen as one of them, rather than a member of the political elite.
Chapter Two: Pilgrim's Progress
Boston, 1706–1723
Franklin's father, Josiah, worked as a cloth dyer in England's Oxfordshire before traveling to America in 1683 with his wife, Ann Child, and their three children. They settled in Boston and had two more children before she passed away in 1689. Josiah then married his second wife, Abiah Folger, with whom he had 10 more children, including Benjamin Franklin.
Ben Franklin was born January 17, 1706. The family lived in a tworoom house on Milk Street. It was expected that Ben would go to Harvard and study to be a clergyman, though when he displayed little aptitude or desire for such a career path, he was instead employed by his father before being apprenticed to his brother James, a printer, in 1718.
James ran the "antiestablishment" paper, the New England Courant, which published Ben Franklin's first series of satirical essays, written from the perspective of a folksy widow named "Silence Dogood." As Dogood, Franklin praised democracy, criticized religious hypocrites, and even took a potshot at Harvard students. When James was briefly imprisoned for libel after questioning the competence of Massachusetts's authorities, Ben briefly took control of the Courant. But when James returned, the two had a falling out over creative control and Ben hopped on a boat to New York, a seventeen-year-old runaway.
Need to Know: Franklin's satirical essays written under the pseudonym "Silence Dogood" display his uncanny ability to mimic the voice of a grown woman, and speak to the level of understanding and appreciation he had for women — a theme that's explored throughout the book. That he was only seventeen when he wrote the essays further underscores the enormity of his talent.
Chapter Three: Journeyman
Philadelphia and London, 1723–1726
In New York, Benjamin Franklin met William Bradford, a publisher who had expressed admiration for James Franklin's New EnglandCourant. Bradford advised Franklin to look for work in Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, he was hired as an apprentice at a print shop and took a room in the home of John Read, whose daughter Deborah took notice of the new lodger. Philadelphia governor Sir William Keith also noticed young Franklin — Franklin had written a letter explaining his decision to stay in Philadelphia rather than return to Massachusetts that caught Keith's eye. The governor was so impressed that he offered to help Franklin finance a print shop of his own, writing a letter of credit for him and sending him to London to network for contacts.
While in London, Franklin wrote a tract on religion called "A Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain" in which he outlined his belief that good works on earth earned God's favor, which was at odds with Puritan doctrine, as they believed God's grace alone determined a person's status as redeemed or damned. Also at this time, Franklin began working on a self-improvement system that he would later develop in more detail. The basic tenets preached thrift, honesty, productivity, and "to speak ill of no man."
Franklin returned to Philadelphia in 1726.
Need to Know: Franklin's religious beliefs were in line with his down-to-earth personality. He was a man of the Enlightenment and favored practicality over all else, so it made sense that he would champion charitable actions over traditional, ethereal forms of worship.
Chapter Four: Printer
Philadelphia, 1726–1732
Back in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin opened his own print shop and bought the Pennsylvania Gazette, which put him in direct competition with Andrew Bradford, publisher of American Weekly Mercury, and media magnate. Franklin's paper lampooned Bradford in the form of pseudonymous essays and letters written in the style and tone of "Silence Dogood." This format reached a pinnacle in 1732 when Franklin began publishing the wildly popular Poor Richard's Almanack, which contained many of Franklin's famous adages and reached an audience of ten thousand at its peak.
In 1727, Franklin formed the Leather Apron Club, also called the "Junto," (derived from the Spanish root word iunct, which means to join) a social club and discussion group for local businessmen. Many of Franklin's important contributions came out of Junto conversations.
With his growing success, Franklin decided, through the romantic vehicle of a pro-and-con list, to marry his landlord's daughter, Deborah Read. This no-nonsense approach is emblematic of their relationship, based as it was on practical affection, rather than passion. Franklin fathered an illegitimate child, William Franklin, around the time he entered into a common-law marriage with Deborah.
Two years later, in 1732, Deborah gave birth to the couple's first child, a boy named Francis, but he died from smallpox at age four.
Franklin elaborated his self-improvement plan to include a list of thirteen virtues, including "temperance," "industry," "moderation," and others. He would go through these virtues at the end of each day and mark down his failures.
Need to Know: At meetings, members of the Junto frequently consulted a list of questions to guide their discussion and activities, from asking if anyone has read any good books lately, to suggestions for civic improvements. The establishment of the first American library, an early incarnation of the volunteer fire brigade, and the (later-named) University of Pennsylvania were all a result of Junto discussions.
Chapter Five: Public Citizen
Philadelphia, 1731–1748
Franklin's political career began with an appointment as clerk for the Pennsylvania Assembly. He continued to publish opinionated essays, including a satirical piece called "The Speech of Polly Baker," which argued against sexist double standards. Another piece proposed the formation of a militia to protect Philadelphia from marauding French and Native Americans. He created a lottery to raise money for the militia's equipment.
In 1733, Franklin's conflict with Andrew Bradford took a political turn when he backed lawyer Andrew Hamilton, the populist, in his run for Assembly speaker. Bradford was loyal to the Penn faction and wrote essays in their favor. This was the beginning of Franklin's lifelong clash with the Penns; Franklin's expanding influence was growing worrisome to Pennsylvania Proprietor Thomas Penn.
In 1743, Deborah Read gave birth to a baby girl. The couple named the baby Sarah but called her Sally. In 1748, Benjamin Franklin officially retired from the printing business.
Need to Know: Always striving for upward mobility, Franklin was frustrated when his bids to join the Freemasons were rejected. He attempted to win them over with flattery by writing small puff pieces about them in the Pennsylvania Gazette, but to no avail. Always the pragmatist, he took a stab at going the opposite route by writing an expose alleging that their "secrets" were a hoax — nothing more than a marketing tool — and a few short weeks later, he received his coveted invitation.
Chapter Six: Scientist and Inventor
Philadelphia, 1744–1751
Upon his retirement, Benjamin Franklin took up scientific study in earnest. He modified the fireplace to produce less interior smoke, invented the catheter, and studied weather patterns and electricity. The latter culminated in the famed kite-flying experiment proving that lightning was electricity, and leading to the invention of the lightning rod. This discovery made Franklin a celebrity and a well-respected scientist. He was given honorary degrees from Yale and Harvard and awarded the Copley Medal by the Royal Society of London.
Need to Know: Isaacson notes that Franklin was not a theoretical scientist, but rather a "practical experimenter," motivated by his ongoing quest for pragmatic solutions to everyday problems. Nonetheless, his "dabbling" provided a framework for more advanced discoveries by others.
Chapter Seven: Politician
Philadelphia, 1749–1756
Benjamin Franklin continued his community improvement projects by establishing what would later become the University of Pennsylvania. He raised funds and designed the curriculum for the school. He was also involved with an educational organization that established schools for African American children, a progressive cause for the times.
Much to Proprietor Thomas Penn's displeasure, in 1751, Franklin was promoted from Pennsylvania Assembly clerk to official member, and in 1753, he was made Deputy Postmaster for the Colonies. Meanwhile, Franklin did not approve of the Penn family's unchecked power and unwillingness to pay taxes.
As the French and Native Americans continued to be a threat to colonial security, Franklin and representatives from other colonies organized a conference in Albany to address the matter. He presented the Albany Plan, an outline for colonial unification, to more effectively govern and deal with matters of defense. It was rejected.
Need to Know: Franklin passionately believed in the need for the colonies to unite, but the idea was ahead of its time. He would reintroduce elements of the Albany Plan in the Articles of Confederation. In his later years, Franklin argued that the unification of the colonies under the Albany Plan would have prevented the Revolutionary War, presumably with the colonies remaining under British rule.
Chapter Eight: Troubled Waters
London, 1757–1762
By now, the rest of the Pennsylvania Assembly shared Franklin's frustrations with the Proprietors, and they appointed him as their representative to travel to London and argue for a more equitable system. Benjamin Franklin took a room in the widow Margaret Stevenson's home. Margaret and her daughter, Polly, would become his lifelong companions and surrogate family. Franklin also traveled to Scotland while on this trip, where he met economist Adam Smith and philosopher David Hume. He was back in London to witness the coronation of King George III.
His official business didn't go as well, as the British government sided with the Penns. The Penns responded to the Pennsylvania Assembly's impudence by refusing to have any further contact with Franklin. Meanwhile, William Franklin, who had accompanied his father to England, complicated matters by continuing the family tradition and fathering an illegitimate child, William Temple Franklin, who became known as Temple.
In 1762, the Franklins headed home. William returned to an appointment as royal governor of New Jersey and shortly thereafter married Elizabeth Downes, a wealthy planter's daughter. Ben Franklin was pleased with his son's new position but did not attend his wedding, evidence of a growing discord between the two men that would continue for the rest of their lives.
Need to Know: During Franklin's stay at the Stevenson home, Polly left to go visit a great-aunt. She and Ben Franklin kept in contact through letters, and over time, this dialogue evolved into an adhoc correspondence course. Franklin would recommend books to Polly, and she would report back to him. He was charmed by her active mind, but when she mentioned that she was considering forgoing marriage and children for academia, he bristled at the thought of it. (She eventually married and had children.)
Meanwhile, he only wrote one letter to Deborah.
Chapter Nine: Home Leave
London, 1763–1764
Pennsylvania continued to suffer attacks by bands of Native Americans. In late 1763, settlers formed a mob, calling themselves the "Paxton Boys" and murdering peaceful Native Americans in retaliation. When the Paxton Boys threatened to bring violence to Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin urged Governor John Penn to take an aggressive stance and bring the responsible parties to justice. Instead, Penn capitulated and pardoned them. Franklin lost his Assembly seat in the 1764 election, but was still sent back to London as their representative to argue once more against the Proprietors' continued leadership.
Need to Know: The 1765 election was a demonstration of political campaigning run amok as the Proprietors' faction and other enemies of Benjamin Franklin launched a negative ad campaign maligning his son's illegitimacy and accusing Franklin of plagiarizing his scientific research. Isaacson declares this an early example of the "cacophony" of American political discourse.
Chapter Ten: Agent Provocateur
London, 1765–1770
Upon arrival in London, Benjamin Franklin returned to the widow Stevenson's home and took over the care of William Franklin's illegitimate son, Temple. He would raise the boy as his own. His daughter, Sally, meanwhile, married Richard Bache, a financially unstable shopkeeper. Initially, Franklin didn't approve of Bache, though his attitude softened. The couple had their first child, Benjamin "Benny" Franklin Bache in 1769. Meanwhile, Franklin's "adopted" daughter, Polly Stevenson, married as well, and he walked her down the aisle at the ceremony.
When the Stamp Act passed in 1765, Franklin urged calm "loyalty to the Crown." This did not go over well, and protesters back in Philadelphia threatened to tear his house down in response. The Sons of Liberty, including John Hancock and Samuel and John Adams, began organizing in Boston. Franklin advised moderation, and argued in front of Parliament for legislative representation for the colonies and a repeal of the Stamp Act. The act was repealed and Franklin's diplomatic reputation was restored.
Peace was short-lived. Parliament passed the Townshend duties in 1767, causing Franklin to harden his stance on taxation without representation. The Boston Massacre in 1770 was a sure sign that a serious, and likely prolonged, clash was coming.
Need to Know: For kicks and giggles, Franklin, Polly Stevenson, and her husband published a fake newspaper called the Craven Street Gazette, named for the street they lived on. It was full of humorous satirical stories in which Margaret Stevenson was referred to as "Queen Margaret," and Franklin was alternatively "The Great Person" (so called for his enormous size) or "Dr. Fatsides."
Chapter Eleven: Rebel
London, 1771–1775
In 1771, Benjamin Franklin began work on his autobiography, a work that remains one of the most definitive texts of the genre. He also traveled to Ireland and Scotland and met his son-in-law, Richard Bache, who was visiting London.
The following year, Franklin stirred up a scandal by publishing the correspondence of Massachusetts governor Thomas Hutchinson. The letters, which were slipped to Franklin by a sympathetic member of Parliament, were instructions to Great Britain on quelling the rebellion in the colonies. Franklin also published several satirical pieces of his own writing, including "An Edict by the King of Prussia." The piece suggested that England should pay taxes to the Germans in appreciation for their assistance in fighting the French, the obvious parallel being that the British were taxing the colonists to pay for their military "protection."
The Sons of Liberty continued to escalate the situation by throwing British imported tea into the Boston Harbor. Franklin disapproved of this act, the tea being "private property" unrelated to the issues at hand.
Franklin received official censure from Parliament for the publication of the Hutchinson letters and he was removed from his position as postmaster. To make matters worse, word came from Philadelphia that Franklin's wife, Deborah, had passed away.
The First Continental Congress agreed on a list of demands, while Franklin tried to negotiate privately with Lord Chatham. But when Chatham presented the resulting proposals before the House of Lords, they were roundly rejected.
(Continues...)
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Table of Contents
Contents
Context,Overview,
Summary,
Timeline,
Cast of Characters,
Direct Quotes and Analysis,
Trivia,
What's That Word?,
Critical Response,
About Walter Isaacson,
For Your Information,
Bibliography,
Copyright,