1. Benjamin Franklin

2. Early Life Lived in Boston Left school early
Worked for his brother as an “indentured apprentice”

3. At age 17 Ran away from his brother
Fled from Boston to NY, from NY to PA

4. By age 24 Prosperous merchant Owned successful print shop
Published the Penn Gazette

5. By age 41
Enough money to retire
Sent by Penn to lobby in England

6. By age 68 (1774) Returned to America
Helped draft Declaration of Independence
Went to France & negotiated treaty for America
After American victory, helped negotiate the peace with Britain

7. At age 81
Member of the Constitutional Convention

8. Versatile Scientist Electricity Royal Society Uneducated “rustic”
From America
Practical
Franklin Stove
Bifocal Glasses
Statesman
Europeans loved him

9. Puritan Values in an Enlightenment Thinker
Moral perfection
“City on a Hill”
Enlightenment
Master 13 virtues
Accessible through natural law

10. Contrast in Views of God
Anne Bradstreet, "Here Follow …"
God wills everything
Mary Rowlandson, "A Narrative…"
Edward Taylor (1642?-1729), "Huswifery"
God's useful tools
Johathan Edwards, “Sinners…”
Fear God’s punishment
Benjamin Franklin, “Autobiography…”
God the watchmaker