Question

American studies question—what aspects of Benjamin Franklin‘s life seem to many people to be representative of a broader American character

Answer 1

Benjamin Franklin Born in 1706 in Boston, was an accomplished American and one of the founding father of The United States. He was a political philosopher, established writer, freemason, postmaster, scientist, activist, diplomat, and inventor. He was an important figure in the American Enlightenment and was known for his discovery and theory of electricity.

Franklin was a member of the elite but was ideal for a culture that valued the common man. Americans learn and strive to incorporate the values and behaviors of the elite and try to replicate their leaders. Benjamin Franklin was one such leader who represented American values. He identified two extraordinary features of American society, Americans began their life with little and made their way on their own. Secondly, America granted plenty of opportunity for prosperity. Every American believes that this prosperity belongs to anyone ready to work. This, in turn, is a success recipe for social happiness and economic development.

Franklin was the most trusted and followed man in America and still is because of the humility he possessed. He earned the title of 'The First American' for his tremendous achievements. He became a representative figure and an inventor of American culture and is instrumental in inventing the type of society America would become.