1. Dress for Success The Self-made Ben Franklin Pt I

2. “The Holy Experiment” Pennsylvania founded 1682 Quaker sect founded 1650 in England  Pacifist, thrifty, plain, antinomian, anticlerical William Penn receives land grant from Duke of York in exchange for debts owed  Still, bought land from Indians (mythologized by Hicks) Only colony except RI where Quakerism (and other religious sects) tolerated  E.g. Keimer (in Autobiography) is a Jew? By 1700 Philadelphia challenges Boston as center of commerce, culture & diversity  By 1725, second biggest city in English-speaking world

3. Edward Hicks “Peaceable Kingdom” (c.1833)

4. The European Enlightenment Rise of confidence in rationality among middle & upper classes Scientific revolution organizes world-view  Enthusiasm for experimentation, mathematics  Belief that universe is knowable, predictable  Value on information received through senses Rather than just by reading or thinking De-emphasis on religion & other supernatural beliefs  Especially in France & England – revolution in the air? Final transition from medieval Europe Optimism – “progress” – things will get better

5. American Enlightenment 1700: Massachusetts still theocracy Challenged by growing prosperity  Trading slaves, sugar & rum; land speculation In Boston, Cotton Mather introduces inoculation for smallpox Going against “God’s will”? Emphasis on practicality Rising tide of colonial secularism Waves of immigrants – German, Swedish, French Diversity (& literacy) undercuts theocracy Tempered by frontier conditions and lack of developed, educated class

6. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) Born in Boston Urban working class, father a later immigrant Escapes Puritan society Indentured to printer brother – is a runaway  Outspoken in person & on page: “saucy & provoking”  Conflict between tradesmen & Boston aristocracy Carried on in print – first American newspaper censored  Franklin already a “freethinker” – a Deist An “outlander” in Philadelphia – age 17 Able to converse, negotiate, job-hunt with equality in “leveled” colonial society – accent, class, race Famous scene carrying loaves down street past future wife – American mythology in the making

7. 1791: Published in France 1793: Translated into English in London 1820: published in US

8. “Self-Made” Man “autobiography” – word not used until later constructing new person from the old Using story to make own legend (& Gazette) Becomes “representative man” But is he? Wealthy urban politician? Most Americans still farmers, live away from city  Franklin plays these tensions, profits from them  Sides with frontier settlers against urban merchants Compare to traditional Puritan attitude Focus on worldly success, not heavenly reward Be useful to God, or to humans? Utilitarianism – “enlightened self-interest”

9. Ben the Marble Statue

10. Ben the Human Being?

11. Civic Man – the American as Associator 1727: Junto 1731: public library 1732: German- language newspaper 1736: fire company 1743: scientific society 1745: police (“watch”) 1747: citizen militia 1748: BF retires (age 42) 1748: street sweeping 1748: street lighting 1749: college 1751: hospital 1751: fire-insurance company