The man we call Benjamin Franklin

The induce of this paper is to canvass and contrast the websites on Ben Franklins aliveness and his biography. man disseminating the life of benjamin Franklin through his autobiography, one learns much ab stunned the man. How eer when disseminating teaching shew in the three websites below, an different man slowly creeps out(p) from behind the man already revealed. Which one is the real benjamin Franklin? sm on the whole-arm observing the cornucopia of a man one learns that only by the process of comparing and contrasting will one be fitted to fix a solid face on the man we outcry Benjamin Franklin. All the websites addressed in this paper shargon super C subject matter yet atomic number 18 different in toll of analytical approach and main focus. The biography by Edmund S. Morgan calls upon the reader to reconsider traditional assumptions about Benjamin Franklin and move away from standardized cliches. season he is best known as the author of the Declaration of Indep endence, the accord of Peace with Great Britain, and the Constitution, these werent his main achievements furthermore, the documents (with the exception of the Declaration of Independence) didnt reflect his views and beliefs.How constantly, this shouldnt lead to the conclusion that Franklin was a not-so-important figure in the the Statesn history. Rather than that, the author suggests that Franklin should be applauded for other achievement and traits of case His was probably the most brilliant mind that most batch who knew him had ever met, but he seldom showed it in publicHis mind would be quietly at work, trying to picture the world and the people he found in it, thinking of ways to make their lives easier (Morgan, 2005, para. 4). Edmund S.Morgan believes that one of the major(ip) contributions of Benjamin Franklin was through his piece of writings. Also, more attention should be paid to Franklins enjoyment as an advocate for American interests in England. In widely distrib uted, the biography tries to give way a softer side of Franklins personality It may be well at first to dispel the image of him as an stalwartness scholar peering from his desk oer the bifocal glasses he invented (Morgan, 2005, para. 8). PBS website too tries to reveal Ben Franklins personality to the readers. The website focuses on multiple identities Franklin possessed &8212 twain as a public figure and personality.The website glorifies Franklin as Abolitionist, Almanac maker, Advertiser, billow enthusiast, Bifocals inventor, Composer, Cartoonist, Civic Citizen, Chess Player, Deist, Diplomat, Daylight Savings advocate, Enlightenment thinker, Electricity pioneer, Experimenter, Entrepreneur, design Father, Flirt, Fire fighter, Glass Armonica creator, Gulf Stream mapper, Genius, Humorist, Health nut, finder, International celebrity, Insurer, crew creator, Journalist, Kite flyer, Librarian, Lightning rod inventor, Londoner, Medical Engineer, Militia member, Mathematician, Mason , Natural philosopher, Organizer (militia, onset dept., street cleaning), Odometer maker, Printer, Public relations master, Publisher, Prankster, Questioner, Quartermaster, Quintessential American, Revolutionary, Reader, Scientist, Swimmer, Self-made man, Traveler, agreement signer, University builder, Volunteer, Visionary, Vegetarian (temporarily), Writer, Weight lifter, Xenophile, Young prodigy, Yankee, Yarn spinner, and Zealot. Perhaps the most interesting out of all these epithets is Quintessential American. The website tries to paint a picture of Franklin as a typical representative of the American nation and a symbol of all its virtues and achievements, such as Self-education, Physical Activity, and Moral Perfection. At the same time, the website acknowledges that Benjamin Franklin was no ordinary man, since he possessed outstanding qualities and skills. It is suggested that Ben Franklin helped define the supposition of good citizenship through his involvement in and commit ment to community on the local level and the nation on the global levelBen Franklin believed that people volunteering together in a spirit of coop geological eration could accomplish great things. impelled by a strong sense of civic duty, he regard himself in his community and his nation (PBS, 2002, Citizen Ben, para. 1). The website presents Franklins biography in an synergistic and engaging way without compromising accuracy and objectivity. The only limitation of this resource is that the information is not well-structured and far from presenting a comprehensive picture.The third website present the most, in my opinion, consistent and informative form of Franklins biography. It is structured agree to the major periods of Franklins life, i. e. Humble Beginnings Franklin in Boston, A True crafter Franklin in Philadelphia, A Promise Unfulfilled Franklin in London, Sprouting root Back in Philadelphia, A Busy Retirement, and The American Patriot Franklin and Independence. to ea ch one section of the biography presents all the requisite information without going into supernumerary detail. Another compelling feature of this biography is that it is accompanied with abundant graphical aid. Yet it would be a mistake to say that ThinkQuest presents a wry and scholarly biography of Benjamin Franklin it offers human touch through niggling entertaining details about this great manInspired by his namesake uncle Benjamin, young Ben composed historical ballads (one was about the pirate Blackbeard) that were printed by his buddy James in his fledgling print shop. The poems sold well (ThinkQuest, 1998, arouse Facts). In order to determine how thinkable a certain order of information is, it is necessary to analyze the source of this information in equipment casualty of legitimacy and possible bias. Edmund S. Morgan is a well-established historian specializing in early compound history of AmericaEdmund Morgan has authored dozens of books on Puritan and early co mpound history, which are acclaimed for both their scholarly focus and their appeal to a general audience Morgan, who joined the Yale faculty in 1955 and retired in 1986, has received many a(prenominal)honors during his long teaching career at YaleCurrently the chair of the gore of The Benjamin Franklin papersthe Universitys massive project publishing materials related to the institution Father and inventorMorgan is now at work on a study of Franklin, who, he believes, is one of the most interesting people who ever lived (Gonzalez, 2001).However, excessive admiration with Benjamin Franklin might come as a detriment to impartiality and objectivity &8212 the two essential characteristics of any biographical writing. PBS website has little bias of this kind, however, it is often unclear where the information they are using comes from. There are no references or acknowledgements no relate to any works of Franklin or credible historical evidence is present. While Edmund S. Morgan e xtensively refers to Franklins own works, PBS website presents a simplified and pared-down version of Franklin biography. ThinkQuest is the only website that cites its references in an appropriate way.The authors of the biography acknowledge that they based their writing on such publications as Benjamin Franklin by Carl Van Doren, The serviceman Who Dared the Lightning-A New Look at Benjamin Franklin by Thomas Fleming, The narrative of Benjamin Franklin, Ben Franklin Laughing by P. M. Zall, Benjamin Franklin Founding Father and Inventor by Leila Merrell Foster, and a number of other books and media resources. ThinkQuest is also an interesting information resource since it provides a sound general overview of the historical conditions existing in America in Franklins times.The website offers definition of different historical phenomena that are important for the general narrative, such as King George I, French and Indian War (1754-1763), and other. All the biographies present a cer tain picture of colonial America through the life career of Benjamin Franklin, it is possible to understand tense relations between Europe and America, heated debate rough the issue of slavery, and the rise of American identity and civil consciousness. However, the most credible source of information on Franklins life and times is his autobiography.This autobiography is of great relevance to the modern reader, and not merely for the reason that it provides an discernment into the life of Benjamin Franklin. In his autobiography, Franklin shares his thoughts as to the organization of state and society, role of the citizens, position of America on the worlds stage and other matters of great interest and importance even for the modern reader. For example, he expresses concerns over the clash between religion and civil notion of citizenship, as he recollects that English were trying to plant certain religious ideas in AmericaSince not a single moral principle was inculcated or enforcd, their aim seeming to be rather to make us Presbyterians than good citizens (Franklin, 2003, p. 66). As for additional and types of sources, that would give greater confidence in your understanding Franklin, it is necessary to mention Franklins writings in the first place. As Edmund S. Morgan (2005, para. 5) decent points out, in the awesome bulk of his papers, equivalent of 47 fat volumes of print, all operational on this website, we can see Franklin whole. Additional insight can be gained from reviewing resources dedicated to the American colonial history greater understanding of conditions and developments of that era can aid the process of enhancing knowledge about Benjamin Franklin as a statesman, scientist, and outstanding public figure. References Franklin, Benjamin. (2003). The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. New York Touchstone. Gonzalez, Susan. (January 12, 2001). Edmund S. Morgan superlative Professor Emeritus. Retrieved kinsfolk 5, 2007, from http//www.yale. edu /history/faculty/morgan. html Morgan, Edmund S. (2005). Introduction to the Papers of Benjamin Franklin. Retrieved September 5, 2007, from http//www. franklinpapers. org/franklin/framedMorgan. jspjsessionid=86AD99C9931B8DF535D2C1CD6A1E6923 PBS. (2002). Benjamin Franklin. Retrieved September 5, 2007, from http//www. pbs. org/benfranklin/ ThinkQuest. (1998). The Biography of Benjamin Franklin. Retrieved September 5, 2007, from http//library. thinkquest. org/22254/home. htm