Ben Franklin 4
Benjamin Franklin left a great legacy when he died on April 17, 1790. He was one of America's greatest diplomats and the only man to sign all four of the key documents of the American Revolution: the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Alliance with France, the Treaty of Paris, and the Constitution of the United States. He laid the foundation that changed the study of electricity into a science. He was an inventor who invented many things such as the lightning rod, bifocal glasses, the Franklin stove, and the odometer. And he started the first public library in America from a group that collected all the books of all the members for the benefit of all. Thomas Jefferson hailed him as "the greatest man and ornament of the age and country in which he lived." The aspect of his life that best describes Ben Franklin is statesman and diplomat. In theses roles, he performed many services to the community and helped to establish the United States. Without his contributions, the United States of America would not exist. Franklin's politic career began in 1750 when he was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly. He was appointed postmaster general for the colonies in 1753, and in 1754 he was the delegate from Pennsylva
nia to the intercolonial congress that met to consider methods of dealing with the French and Indian War. When the war broke out, Franklin obtained horses, wagons, and supplies for the British commander General Edward Braddock by pledging his own credit to the Pennsylvania farmers. The proprietors of Pennsylvania were against war, so they refused to pay taxes on their landholdings to help pay for the war. So Franklin was sent to England in 1757 to petition the king to levy taxes on proprietary land. After accomplishing this mission, he remained in England for five more years as the chief representative of the American colonies. Franklin, Benjamin. The New Book of Knowledge. Vol. 6 F. Connecticut: Grolier Incorporated, 1988. Franklin also took part in the fight over the Stamp Act. At first, he was slow to realize that this act threatened the American colonies. But after he did, he led the struggle against it. On February 13, 1766, Franklin appeared before the House of Commons to answer a series of questions dealing with the effects of the Stamp Act on the colonies. His knowledge of taxation problems impressed everyone, and his reputation grew throughout Europe. The Stamp Act was repealed a short time later, and Franklin received most of the credit. When he arrived in Philadelphia on May 5, 1775, the Revolutionary War had already started. The next day, he was chosen to serve in the Second Continental Congress. The Continental Congress chose Franklin as Postmaster General in 1775 because of his experience as a colonial postmaster. Also that year, Franklin traveled to Canada in a vain attempt to enlist the aid and cooperation of Canada in the Revolution.
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Approximate Word count = 1227
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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