The First American:
The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin
by H.
W. Brands
A
Book Review by Debra Costello
March
2009
Utter the name Benjamin Franklin and
the first image to pop into the minds of today’s students is that of kites,
keys and lightning. It is shameful that this important historic experiment is
one of the few recollections that can be taken from the life of this esteemed
man. The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin by H.W. Brands
succinctly relates what more of us Americans need to recognize: Benjamin
Franklin was the quintessential figure in the establishment of the United States of America.
His character, intellect and especially his ability to reason directly
influenced the development of this nation. He constantly strove to utilize
logic and reason to overcome adversity. Franklin’s
curiosity and never ending fascination with all things of nature caused him to
test the world around him. Had he not been who he was, would our country be
what it is?
Having had the distinct pleasure of
hearing H.W. Brands speak, it is evident that his ability to write is as
engaging as his oratory skills. Brands is a
distinguished professor of history at Texas A & M
University who has
authored many books on the topic of history. Mr. Brands interjects the same
kind of wit and humor in his books as he does at his speaking engagements. Having read his book Andrew
Jackson: His Life and Times influenced choosing this biography to review, along
with an acute interest in Franklin’s
scientific endeavors. One of the many skills that H.W. Brands brings to
his writing is adeptness in giving the back-story of the many characters that
were a part of Benjamin Franklin’s life. Many see history as a series of dates;
however, it is the people in that particular era and their personal experiences
that create history. Brands keenly narrates the story in a way that heightens
our understanding of these key figures in history as people who lived real
lives that influenced generations to come. The author has extensive source
notes that are placed in the back of the book. The source notes are taken from
Benjamin Franklin’s correspondence, published works and autobiography. As a
prolific author, Franklin
left his legacy through his writing. Brand’s use of primary sources lends a
sense of authenticity to demonstrate his belief that Benjamin Franklin was
truly the first American. Franklin’s
voice echoes throughout the book.
The Puritan pillar of society,
Cotton Mather, controlled Boston’s
thought process at the time of Benjamin Franklin’s birth. All came back to God.
It was a place of tradition, which frowned upon the idea of freethinking.
Benjamin Franklin was born to a well-respected chandler Josiah Franklin and his
second wife Abiah Folger.
He was the tenth child of sixteen. Since he was rather far down in the birth
order, he could not inherit his father’s trade. Josiah encouraged Benjamin to
be a minister and urged him to read at an early age. Early on, Benjamin had a
love of the water and experimented with swimming. The sea beckoned him. Having
lost one son to the sea, Josiah did all he could to keep Benjamin on the shore.
Josiah worked to find Benjamin a trade that would keep him home. Benjamin
became an apprentice to his brother, James Franklin. This apprenticeship
required nine years of indentured servitude to his brother. While training with
James, Benjamin would spend his free time interweaving prose with poetry and
practiced Socracratic argument that he would use to
undermine his opponent during arguments. He wrote as the character ‘Silence Dogood’ to challenge the authority of Cotton Mather’s hold
on Boston. Had
he gone off to sea, how would this country look today? Benjamin Franklin’s
self-motivation to improve his ability to argue and willingness to challenge
authority are characteristics that molded the man who shaped this country.
James tended to be a more incendiary
character. His outspokenness landed him in jail. Benjamin took over the paper
during his imprisonment. This period of time honed his skills in printing and
the art of debate. However, he felt stifled by his servitude to James and fled.
This eventually took him to his newly adopted home of Philadelphia. He found work with a printer
named Samuel Keimer in Philadelphia. The Governor of Pennsylvania
took notice of Franklin.
He encouraged Benjamin to start his own print shop. He lacked the revenue. His
father could only provide his blessing. He was introduced to Governor Keith who
promised to help him set up shop after getting the proper equipment necessary
in London. The governor never made good on his promise.
This, however, caused him to learn a lesson that carried him throughout his
life. “The promises of others, however pleasing to the ear, were trusted at
peril.” (p. 82) He knew that he could only trust his own wit and wisdom. While
in London, he
met a merchant by the name of Thomas Denham who became a father figure to him. Franklin owed him his passage from England to the
colonies. Under Denham’s tutelage he became a skilled merchant. Denham’s death
freed Franklin
of his debt, but left him without ownership of the business. On his own again,
he returned to work with Keimer as a manager. A
disagreement with Keimer led to him quitting this
job. But, Franklin
had a trademark gift that is witnessed throughout his life; he made virtue of necessity, that is, made the best of a bad situation. Franklin set up shop with
Hugh Meredith whose father provided the revenue to support this venture.
Meredith’s father was grateful that Benjamin Franklin was able to keep his son
from drinking.
In 1727, Benjamin Franklin’s quest
for knowledge caused him to create the ‘Junto.’ The Junto was an intellectual thought tank pondering religious,
political and philosophical queries. Franklin
was not a man of organized religion, but did see its civic benefits. He
subscribed to a sense of pragmatic moralism that
greatly influenced his outlook on life. While many colonists at the time saw
faith as their only way to salvation, Franklin
viewed good works, morals, and virtues ahead of dogma. He logically states
that, “No point of faith is so plain as that morality
is our duty, for all sides agree in that. A virtuous heretic shall be saved
before a wicked Christian.” (p.144) In his old age, he
did soften a bit on his outlook on God, but always ascribed to the concept of
virtue.
Events led to he
and Meredith purchasing the Pennsylvania Gazette from Keimer.
In 1730, he bought out Meredith to gain professional independence. He also wed
Deborah Read the same year. Benjamin Franklin found the uncertainty of life to
be comforting. He did not want all of life’s questions answered. This
philosophy is evident in the way he operated his newspaper. He was open to
other’s opinions and encouraged the hearing of all sides. Some did not concur with
this philosophy. While trades such as smiths and cobblers needed to worry about
the opinions of others, Franklin
embraced the idea that a printer should allow everyone to have a voice even if
it was not popular. He shared his viewpoints under a variety of pseudonyms,
which brought forth discourse and civil change among Philadelphia’s citizens. He carried his open-minded philosophy
throughout his life. No doubt, this country would be different if not for his
willingness to negotiate and discuss varying ideologies. In addition to the
Pennsylvania Gazette, Poor Richard’s Almanac allowed Franklin to show his true wit and
intelligence without fear of retribution or of being labeled a braggart.
The establishment of the
Philosophical Society in 1744 in Philadelphia
greatly influenced Benjamin Franklin. Members of this group represented many
aspects of the arts and sciences. Franklin
was able to network with some of the greatest minds of the time in the
colonies. He fed off their intellect and stimulated his own. Franklin
eventually entered a partnership with David Hall who took care of day-to-day
operations while Franklin
supplied the capital. This enabled him to retire and pursue intellectual
interests that he discussed at the Philosophical Society, like the concept of
electricity. His experiments on electricity influenced many scientists across
the globe. He became world renowned for his experimentation in the sciences.
During the 1750’s Benjamin Franklin
became politically active. Philadelphia
was leading the way in discussions of the reform of British rule. The average
people had long protested the proprietary rule of the Penns
and their autocratic rule of Pennsylvania.
While in the legislature, Franklin was key in raising revenue through taxes to light and patrol Philadelphia’s streets.
This, however, did not stop Great
Britain from shipping over its criminals who
were left to roam the streets of the colonies. The English and the colonists
were embroiled in land disputes with France. Many citizens called for a
union of the colonists, but the leaders feared losing their power. Franklin felt that if
“savages” were capable of forming a union, they should be able to as well. He
designed a blueprint for such a union. “The colonies were suffering badly from
their lack of cooperation.” (p. 237) The seeds of this
country were being sown. Franklin’s intentions
were for the union to be a recognized part of the British
Empire, but he wanted no restrictions on trade within the
colonies. The crown frowned upon this idea because it minimized trade with the
“Mother Land.” Franklin believed that “The strength and
wealth of the parts is the strength and wealth of the whole.” (p. 240) The land dispute with France led to the French coercing
many Native American tribes to turn against the colonists. Pennsylvanians
needed to fund this fight through taxes. The proprietors refused to be taxed.
This began Benjamin Franklin’s bitter battle against the proprietary
government. He was appointed to the Pennsylvania
assembly where he hoped to be able to extinguish proprietary rule and replace
it with the rule of the crown.
Benjamin Franklin yearned to know
more about his heritage. H.W. Brands eloquently stated, “Yet as the road behind
him grew longer, and the road before him presumably shorter, he paid more heed
to his family’s origins.” Franklin and his son William headed to Great Britain
to learn more about the land of his father’s birth. Franklin
spent many years in Great
Britain working on behalf of the colonies.
When King George III came to power, eventually, William Franklin was appointed
the governor of New Jersey,
unbeknownst to the Penns. While in Great Britain,
events in the colonies were beginning to tear it apart. A cardinal tenet of the
English constitution declared that taxes could only be levied on those who had
representation; which the colonies did not. The Sugar Act, the Proclamation
Line of 1763 and the Stamp Act caused the colonists to feel as if they had no say or control on the actions dictated by the British
government.
Benjamin Franklin’s morals were an
impetus for his view on non-violence against the British for the Stamp Act. He
could not condone this behavior on a political level, either. Franklin worked toward compromise. However,
the crown and rioters did not. The colonists placed an embargo on British
imports in an effort to hurt British merchants. They hoped the merchants would
then pressure the government. His voice of reason led to the repeal of the
Stamp Act one year after it was enacted. Franklin
was highly praised for his inspired presentation at the parliament. Although
the Stamp Act was repealed, the Quartering Act and Townshend Acts came into
effect causing anger amongst the colonists. The British were stubbornly holding
to their beliefs. All the while, Benjamin Franklin was speaking out for peace
and reason on both sides. Some felt Franklin
was acting in a duplicitous fashion.
A trip to Scotland
and Ireland
opened his eyes to British treatment of other colonies. The abject poverty and
shabby treatment of the working class disheartened him. Franklin’s ability to reason caused him to
wonder, “If not the crown, if not the proprietors, then what?” This was a
turning point in his outlook on the colonies.
Franklin’s hometown became a hotbed of
resistance on the verge of eruption. During the winter of 1770 violence did
occur. The Boston Massacre was the result of the citizens’ resentment of the
soldiers patrolling their streets, taking away jobs and being forced to house
them. Although the Townshend Acts were eventually repealed and only one tax was
levied on the citizens, resentment over the Boston Massacre lingered. The
colonists eventually stopped all trade, which only strengthened their resolve
to be more self-sufficient.
The turning point against the crown
for Benjamin Franklin was personal. He had intercepted correspondence between Boston’s Governor and
Lieutenant Governor, Thomas Hutchison and Andrew Oliver respectively. They
wrote of how the colonies could not survive without the rule of England. They
were also bartering their way to greater position and financial status at the
expense of the taxpayers. Franklin
believed it was Hutchison and Oliver who were the problem, not the crown. These
letters were forwarded, in confidence, to Cushing back in the colonies.
However, they did not remain secret. This caused great animosity against the
British. Franklin
kept tight lipped about this until it led to a duel where an innocent man was
being accused of disseminating the information. Franklin
called for the removal of Hutchison and Oliver; however the British parliament
viciously attacked Franklin
and his character. He would leave England a changed man.
While Franklin and others hoped for
conciliation, it was too late. Franklin
lost a great deal during this time. His wife, Deborah died. William continued
as Governor of New Jersey against his father’s wishes causing a rift that would
never be mended. Benjamin Franklin spent decades away from Philadelphia and his wife. Had he been a more
loyal family man, would we be the United States of America?
The shot heard round the world rang
out in Concord.
Franklin had
hoped to retire, but the war caused him to get involved at the Continental
Congress. His proposal for a confederation sparked the creation of the Articles
of the Confederation adopted by the Congress and eventually the states. Franklin was appointed
Post Master General and named to the “secret committee” that was responsible
for the creation of the army. Benjamin Franklin was also on the committee to
draft the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson drafted it while Franklin revised and
edited. Franklin went to Pennsylvania
to help draft the Pennsylvania
constitution. Ironically, it was his goal to rid Pennsylvania
of the proprietors while in England.
Ultimately it was America’s
independence from Great Britain
that garnered Pennsylvania’s
freedom.
It can be argued that Benjamin
Franklin’s relationships with people directly influenced the independence of
this country from England.
Franklin helped to bring Thomas Paine to and get
established in America.
It was Paine’s pamphlet, “Common Sense” that urged undecided colonists to join
the cause of freedom. Franklin had established
close, personal relationships with many people in Great Britain. He was now at odds
with those he used to call his friends.
Benjamin Franklin initiated a
relationship with France
that lasted many years. He asked for arms and clothing to sustain the army.
This led to his being named ambassador to their new ally, France. In the late
1770’s and early 1780’s, America
had begun to lose ground in the war. The troops needed money for the basics.
Again, Franklin’s
ability to reason and argue persuaded the French to send more resources. He
pleaded to France on the
argument that to lose America
would be a coup d'état for the British and a defeat for Europe.
Led by the brilliance of George Washington, Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown.
Congress would not allow Benjamin
Franklin to retire. He was appointed a peace commissioner in the negotiations
for treaties with the French and British. Franklin
viewed the revolution as a victory over vice. He had hoped that America would
learn from the mistakes of corruption exemplified by the British government.
Again hoping to retire, Franklin joined the
Continental Congress to amend the Articles of the Confederation. Benjamin
Franklin and George Washington were the two men held in highest esteem at this
event. Franklin deferred to Washington as president of the convention.
However, it was Franklin’s
ability to compromise that saved the convention when the issue of
representation seemed to be at an impasse. Franklin spoke out for the rights of the
common people at the convention. Although there were issues that Franklin was not
completely satisfied with in the constitution, he felt it was a good
compromise. Ratification of the states was needed. New
York and Virginia held out until
a powerfully persuasive piece of writing in the Federal Gazette by Franklin pushed the
states to ratify.
Benjamin Franklin was eventually
allowed to retire. In April of 1790 at the age of 83, Benjamin Franklin died.
In death as in his life, he felt a call to civic duty. He bequeathed funds to
both Philadelphia and Boston for civic improvement and scholarship.
These funds remain to this day.
Some could argue that teachers
should know of the life of Benjamin Franklin just because he is a key leader in
U.S.
history. However, his example of open mindedness and compromise should be the
true emphasis of understanding Franklin.
While some fought blindly for freedom, Franklin
had a way of viewing and respecting all perspectives. He was not so stubborn
that he could not change his beliefs if they were based on reason and logic.
This viewpoint could benefit everyone and should be brought to the classroom
for future generations to learn.
The
First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin
H.W.
Brands
Book
Review by Debra Costello