Benjamin Franklin's contributions as inventor, scientist, and statesman

Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts to Josiah and Abiah Folger (Kelly 2007, the Electric Benjamin Franklin 2007). He was the 15th of Josiah's 20 children by two marriages. He had only two years of formal schooling but continued to pursue an education by reading. His father had wanted him to be a clergy man. But he could afford to send Benjamin to school only for one year. Entering the clergy required many years of schooling. Josiah worked as a candle maker and also a devoted Anglican. But Benjamin loved to read so he was taken in by his brother, James, a printer, to apprentice at the age of 12. He helped James compose pamphlets and set printing types of "The Spectator." Then Benjamin would sell their printed products in the streets. When his brother would not allow him to write for his newspaper, Benjamin left and went to Philadelphia. He later had a common-law wife, Deborah Read, and an illegitimate son, William. Deborah was married to John Rodgers who separated from her without a divorce. She then could not marry Benjamin (Kelly, the Electric Benjamin Franklin).

Benjamin was a statesman, inventor, scientist, publisher and a politician (Bellis 2007). His accomplishments as such were unique in his time when colonial North America did not yet have sufficient cultural and commercial institutions for his original ideas. As a rule, he was focused on the improvement of daily life for the majority of the people. That was how he made his way and left his singular mark. He first came to be known as the founder of Junto, or the Leather Apron Club. This was a small group of young men who discussed business, morality, politics and philosophy. Through the club, he started a city watch, volunteer fire department, subscription library and the American Philosophical Society. The subscription library became the Library Company of Philadelphia. The American Philosophical society promoted scientific and intellectuals talks then as it still does today (Bellis).

His inventions as a scientist include bifocal glasses and the iron furnace stove (Bellis 2007). The iron furnace stove had a sliding door where wood on a grate is burned. It cooked food and warmed the home at the same time. Scientists and inventors of his time considered electricity to be his major contribution and discovery. With the use of a key and a kite during a thunderstorm, he and his son discovered that lightning bolts are powerful electrical currents. This led to the invention of the lightning rod, designed to prevent the igniting and burning of structures by lightning. His other inventions were swim fins, a glass armonica, watertight bulkheads for ships, and an odometer (Bellis).

After his apprenticeship experience with his brother James, Franklin went to Philadelphia where he established his own printing shop and published his own materials (Bellis 2007). His publications became very popular in both format and content. They contained his democratic thoughts. His "Poor Richard's Almanac" relates hardships through which Benjamin transmitted his opinions and advice on politics, philosophy and advancement. His Pennsylvania Gazette carried information on politics and people. He also used and published political cartoons as illustrations and effective teasers. One famous cartoon was "Join or Die," which came out in the May 9, 1754 issue. It was considered the first American political cartoon, Benjamin's original concept. It was aimed at increasing French pressure on the western frontier of the colonies at the time (Bellis).

Historians have described him as the ultimate or quintessential American for his combined creative pragmatism, scientific innovations and discoveries, and democratic ideals and passion (Bellis 2007). His democratic bent led him to be a statesman of prominence. The Stamp Act of his time required newspapers to use imported and stamped paper. In protest, Benjamin published the November 7, 1765 edition of his Pennsylvania Gazette without a date, a number, masthead or imprint. This was to assert colonial freedom and colonists' autonomy over royal policies. He joined hands with contemporaries George Washington and Thomas Jefferson in rejecting European aristocratic rule and in pressing for representational democracy. He became a member of the Continental Congress, which drafted the Articles of Confederation. He also helped draft the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The documents stressed the value of the individual in the political process in committing State protection to his natural and inalienable rights (Bellis).

Benjamin played a specifically vital diplomatic role in the American Revolution and the early period of the American nation (Bellis 2007). He was among the representatives of the Continental Congress sent to form alliances with France. France, at the time, bewailed the loss of its territory to Britain during the French-Indian War. The French considered the victory of the colonists over the British in the Battle of Saratoga as a sign of commitment to independence. The French, then, judged the offer as worthwhile and fitting. To indicate their alliance, the French sent approximately 12,000 soldiers and 32,000 sailors to America. In his last years, Benjamin was also a member of the Constitutional Convention. He was likewise elected president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery (Bellis).

His political career began with his election to the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1751 (Bellis 2007). In 1754, he presented the Albany Plan of Union at the Albany Congress. The plan was to unify the colonies under one government to organize and protect the individual colonies. He struggled to move Great Britain to grant more autonomy and self-rule to Pennsylvania. The revolution became imminent and rules grew stricter over the colonies. Benjamin tried to convince Great Britain that the situation could foment revolt. The importance of sending messages from one town to another and from one colony to another urged him to reorganize the postal system. Another development was his decision to fight back when he recognized that Britain would not grant the representation needed by colonists. He was elected to attend the Second Continental Congress, which convened from 1775 to 1776, where he helped draft and signed the Declaration of Independence (Kelly).

Historians have described him as the ultimate or quintessential American for his combined creative pragmatism, scientific innovations and discoveries, and democratic ideals and passion (Bellis 2007). His democratic bent led him to be a statesman of prominence. The Stamp Act of his time required newspapers to use imported and stamped paper. In protest, Benjamin published the November 7, 1765 edition of his Pennsylvania Gazette without a date, a number, masthead or imprint. This was to assert colonial freedom and colonists' autonomy over royal policies. He joined hands with contemporaries George Washington and Thomas Jefferson in rejecting European aristocratic rule and in pressing for representational democracy. He became a member of the Continental Congress, which drafted the Articles of Confederation. He also helped draft the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The documents stressed the value of the individual in the political process in committing State protection to his natural and inalienable rights (Bellis).

Benjamin played a specifically vital diplomatic role in the American Revolution and the early period of the American nation (Bellis 2007). He was among the representatives of the Continental Congress sent to form alliances with France. France, at the time, bewailed the loss of its territory to Britain during the French-Indian War. The French considered the victory of the colonists over the British in the Battle of Saratoga as a sign of commitment to independence. The French, then, judged the offer as worthwhile and fitting. To indicate their alliance, the French sent approximately 12,000 soldiers and 32,000 sailors to America. In his last years, Benjamin was also a member of the Constitutional Convention. He was likewise elected president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery (Bellis).

The Discovery of Electricity

Benjamin was intensely interested in science and studies many of its branches (Bellis 2006). Besides his bifocals and other inventions, he also studies smoky chimneys, the effect of oil on ruffled water, the "dry bellyache" or lead poisoning, ventilation and fertilizers in agriculture. His works reflected his vision of the great developments of the then forthcoming 19th century. His greatest work was his discovery in electricity. In one of his visits to Boston in 1746, he noticed some electrical experiments, which deeply engaged his interest. His friend, Peter Collinson of London, sent him crude electrical apparatus of the time. Benjamin used these along with other equipment he bought in Boston. He wrote Collinson about his consuming interest in electricity. He also intimated to Collinson about his initial experiments concerning the nature of electricity. He described the experiments he and a small group of friends conducted, which demonstrated the effect of pointed objects in drawing electricity off. The result convinced him that electricity was not the result of friction but of some "mysterious" force. He surmised that this "mysterious" force was diffused among most substances and that nature would always restore its equilibrium. He drew up a theory of positive and negative electricity as plus and minus electrification. He also related how his small group of friends played tricks with their unwitting neighbors. His friends would set fire on alcohol, rekindled candles blown out, imitate lightning flashes or by touching or kissing and make an artificial spider move (Bellis).

Using the Leyden jar, Benjamin made an electrical batter, roasted a fowl on a spit fired with electricity, ignited alcohol by electricity through water, fired gunpowder and shocked wine drinkers' glasses (Bellis 2006, Nussbaum 2006). More than these, he theorized on the identity of lightning and electricity. He believed that buildings could be protected by iron rods. Using an iron road, he conducted electricity into his house. Then he studies the effect upon bells. From these, he concluded that clouds were generally negatively charged or electrified. In June 1752, he performed his famous kite experiment with the help of his son. He drew electricity from the clouds and charged a Leyden jar from the key at the tip of the string (Bellis, Nussbaum).

Collinson gathered and published Benjamin's letters into a pamphlet, which later gained wide attention (Bellis 2006). The collection was translated into French. The French accepted Benjamin's conclusions with great excitement. Scientists of Europe did too. As a consequence, the Royal Society adopted Benjamin as a member and later awarded him with the Copley medal in 1753.

Various Positions

Peerless American Visionary

The year Benjamin died, 1790, John Adams paid unconditional tribute to his and General Washington's accomplishments and contributions as underlying all the policy, negotiations, legislatures and war (Skoussenn 2007). Updates of Benjamin's autobiography have led to the unquestionable conclusion that he must be credited to a certain degree for America's growth machine itself. A scrutiny of his life and writings can also bring out the uncontestable conclusion that he did more than anyone one else in establishing the framework of wealth creation in the then just-evolving nation. The same scrutiny would reveal that Benjamin's diplomatic capabilities were indispensable to the American Revolution. It is to his credit that the French made available more than one billion dollars worth of military and financial assistance. This assistance was as indispensable in acquiring American independence from the British. Finally, he played the crucial role of identifying and devising the compromises necessary in drafting the new Constitution in 1787. By his natural prowess, Benjamin intercepted the oncoming and incredible material and technological progress since the founding of the colonies. He was always full of optimism about America and life in general. At the close of the War for Independence, he predicted America's evolution into a "great and happy country." He saw the United States as a huge territory in the favor of nature and the blessing and "advantages of climate, soil, rivers and lakes. He described it as "destined to become... great,... populous and mighty." He pictured the country to prospective immigrants from Europe as suitable to strangers like them and ruled by "good laws, a just but cheap government," endowed with all the reasonable civil and religious liberties people aspire for (Skoussenn).

Political Thinker

Politically, he deplored wastes, especially in trying times like a war (Skoussen 2007). He would dress plainly and always taught thrift and diligence in public and private lives. He hated mobs of all kinds and wasteful newspaper reports. He was anachronistic. He was politically ahead of the founding fathers. He was a radical democrat, as demonstrated by his support of a unicameral legislature. More than anything, his political involvement was in the creation of the three major documents of American government: the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution. He advocated for a limited central government. He was a follower of Adam Smith and of the concept of free trade. He approved of the laissez faire policies of the French physiocrats like Turgot and Condorcet. He did not favor very strict governance. He sided with the rich but was concerned with the incentives for the poor in the event that the State adopted a welfare system. He also objected to a minimum wage law but wrote in favor of free immigration and swift population growth. He disapproved of any form of State religion or mandatory religious oaths of office. He also demanded for the abolition of slavery in the new nation in 1789. From the unfortunate experience of his son and grandson, he learned that public service was less satisfying than private business. His foreign policy was the prototype of George Washington's farewell address to follow almost 30 years after. It was his concept that the American system was to conduct business with all and go to war with no one (Skoussen).

Civic Scientist

Benjamin also serves as the prototype of a civic scientist in the light of today's wisdom, practicality and a deep sense of civic responsibility (Lane 2003). He applied his scientific intuition and skills to various social issues in colonial times. A civic scientist is one who uses his special knowledge and skills to influence the content and direction of policy. In Benjamin's case, the definition extends to include advising government to formulate policy that will increase public awareness and appreciation of science and technology. He combined this appreciation for science and technology with a deep sense of the responsibilities of citizenship. He exemplified pragmatism, clarity and unique character by emphasizing the superiority of essential liberty to temporary safety. The position he held during the American Revolution is equally significant in our times of turbulence (Lane).

Benjamin can be considered the founding father of civic science, not just an older but also often seemingly wiser than the other founding fathers (Lane 2003). He was less philosophical and more practical and realistic. Rather than devise a philosophical future form of government, he wanted to apply what he learned from experience in solving specific problems. He even added humor and clarity to his solution. His pragmatic approach to solving problems and straight talk complemented Jefferson's philosophical approach. The two were 37 years apart. Even about governance, Benjamin was more specific, such as when he favored a plural executive a unicameral legislature. The idea, however, did not become part of the American system (Lane).

Elderly Statesman

Benjamin still holds the distinction of being not only the first notable American scientist but also one of the first Americans, born in 1706 (Lane 2003). His pre-evolutionary writings envisioned the establishment of not just the first 13 colonies but an entire nation. He was old enough to be a father to any of the founding fathers themselves. Benjamin grouped along with prominent people of his time with his talent and wisdom (Lane).

Benjamin was also the only person who signed all the four documents, which helped create the Union or United States (Kyl 2000). These were the Declaration of Independence of 1776; the Treaty of Alliance, Amity and Commerce with France, England and the United States of 1778 and the U.S. Constitution of 1787 and the Albany Plan of 1754. The Albany Plan was not approved but parts of it were incorporated into the Articles of Confederation among the colonies. He was part of the committee, which drafted a proclamation, justifying the colonies' joint decision to separate from Britain. Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft but Franklin edited it. Together, they forged the principles and foundation of the creation of the United States (Kyl).

As a seasoned elder statesman among only a few internationally recognized, Benjamin knew the ways of the French (Kyl 2006). He well understood that it would be easier to influence their decision during dinners and other social events than on the bargaining table. Serving as Minister to France, he successfully negotiated for the 1778 pact between the French and the independent colonies of early America. The colonies were then at war with the superior British from with whom they were severing ties. Benjamin obtained the much needed financial loans and military support from Paris. This assistance greatly helped the American Revolution win. When the French besieged Britain, King George III began indicating a desire for a truce. With the help of John Adams and John Jay, Benjamin successfully negotiated the 1782 accord. It gave recognition to the once-insignificant united colonies of Britain as an independent nation, the United States of America (Kyl).

The new nation was formulating a new and lasting framework of government for itself (Kyl 2006). At that time, Benjamin was already 81 and ailing. His health was so bad that he had to be carried to the convention hall in a car carried, in turn, by four prisoners. Despite his condition, he did his part. The "great compromise" went only so far as to reach a deadlock among the delegates on how the legislative branch of government should be formed. In that great compromise, representatives to the legislature would be chosen in proportion to the population. Larger States would have stronger influence in the lower chamber. The Senate would be composed of an equal number of senators from every State. This compromise and Benjamin's role and impact on the Constitutional Convention, shaped the completion and signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787 (Kyl).

Benjamin would be a writer, first of all. He could write on different topics for the public and this skill enabled him to explain science (Kyl 2006). His book, "Experiments and Observations on Electricity," was among the most prestigious on science of Benjamin's periods as well as other periods. Yet it would be enjoyed and benefit not only scientists but also by the general public. He had the talent to communicate effectively with politicians and the general public on the principles of science without being too technical. It was like explaining science informally to a neighbor or a broker. He seemed to have produced a science literacy handbook for scientists (Kyl).

Corollary to his writing was his proficiency at teaching (Kyl 2006). He was turned off by the method of teaching science and mathematics in most schools of the time. He deplored the poor quality performance of students in science and mathematics even in the most technologically advanced nation in the world. He believed that education was the sure equalizer and that this idea would require many other scientists and volunteers to develop and cover the entire educational system. He displayed an extraordinary foresight of future demographic trends. He seemed to have sensed ahead of time that education and other means would close gender, ethnic and other social gaps as necessary for the overall welfare of the nation. His idea would start from home. He would most likely involve parents' participation in their children's education. The teachers would probably come from a group of retired but dedicated scientists (Kyl).

Man of Letters

Most forms of correspondence in the time Benjamin were hand-carried (Public Broadcasting Service 2007). The most reliable was a postal system in the coast. The roads used were not well-maintained or identified. The delivery service was bad. Letters were brought by friends, slaves, sea captains or other travelers. Taverns, inns, and coffee houses functioned as "post offices." Those who carried the letters left them there for the addressees to pick up. Those coming from overseas took months to reach their destination, if they did. Senders often wrote the letters in as many as five copies before dispatching through different ships to make sure they reached the intended recipients. It must be stated that Benjamin greatly influenced the postal service in the United States. He was appointed Postmaster of Philadelphia in 1737. In 1753, he became the Joint Postmaster General of the colonies for the Crown. And in 1775, he was appointed Postmaster for the United Colonies. He was responsible for the reduction of the duration of mail dispatch between cities in the colonies into half. The postal service underwent many remarkable improvements during his term as Joint Postmaster General for the Crown. He surveyed routes, placed milestones on main roads, and better-operating and more direct routes were installed between colonies. He also set up a faster postal service between Philadelphia and New York, using the weekly and round-the-clock mail wagon. And as Postmaster of Philadelphia, he managed to increase the circulation of Pennsylvania Gazette. His position allowed him to have his newspaper delivered through the city's improved postal service (PBS).

He likewise devised the first rate chart for postmasters (Public Broadcasting Service 2007). These rates were computed according to distance and weight. The computation was standardized throughout the system. He occupied the position of Joint Postmaster General for the Crown until his termination in 1774 on account of his vocal support of independence for the colonies. He endowed the public with postal roads from Maine to Florida; regular mail service between colonies and England; and a regulating and auditing post office system. In his entire life, he wrote and received thousands of letters. His achievements in improving postal service could have derived from the importance he ascribed to communication (PBS).

Ambassador to France

Benjamin was also an exemplary diplomat. When he negotiated with the French for help as America's first ambassador, Britain and France had completely, even opposite, types of government and beliefs (Public Broadcasting Service 2007). Although both governments were headed by kings, England had a parliamentary form of government, while the French king held absolute power. England, at the time, had severed ties with the Roman Catholic Church, while France had maintained those ties. England had become France's enemy as a result of the French and Indian wars, so France would be inclined to help the Americans against a common foe. For the new Americans, it would be a decided advantage to gain a most formidable military ally. Benjamin went to Paris in December 1776 to win the French to their side. He learned the French language and showed a deep familiarity with politics and the art of persuasion. For this, he was described by French scholars as "the most essential and successful American diplomat of all time." Without his efforts, the French would not have helped the Americans win the war against Britain. The victory was almost entirely and ultimately to his credit (PBS).

Furthermore, as a resident of Paris for nine years, he was so accepted by the French that the village where he lived felt it lost a patriarch when Benjamin returned to America in 1785 (Public Broadcasting Service 2007). And when he died, the French mourned and honored him like a hero more than Americans did (PBS).

As Co-Framer of the Major Documents in the Creation of the United States of America

The Declaration of Independence

It was in very trying times of an open war with Britain that the Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia to discuss independence (Eyewitness 2007). Benjamin was in the committee, which instructed Thomas Jefferson to draft the Declaration. Other members were John Adams, Robert R. Livingston and Roger Sherman. The committee revised the draft and then submitted it to the Congress on June 28. It was later refined by the Congress and then released it to the public on July 4, thereafter celebrated as Independence Day. As part of Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, it became the noblest official document of America (Eyewitness).

The Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution

Benjamin was an ardent proponent of self-government and independence for the colonies right at the start (Mount 2006). The sentiment was the foundation of the Albany Plan, which he wrote in 1754, to unify the colonies. But they did not seem ready for his concept and so he had to put it on hold. In the meantime, the Second Continental Congress had to convene on May 10, 1775 according to the decree of the First. It decreed that a Second would convene if the king would not acquiesce to the concerns of the First Continental Congress. He did not. The Revolutionary was starting when the Second Congress met, putting military concerns in the political agenda. Benjamin took advantage of the opportunity to convince the other members of the Congress that they should adopt unification as a common military as well as political goal. He proposed a plan for confederation to Congress on July 21, 1775, a full year before the declaration of independence. The Committee of the Whole in the Congress discussed "the state of America" on July 22 that year but deferred the issue at a later schedule without a position. His proposal was never taken up again, although the Congress approved Benjamin's proposed letters to Jamaica and Ireland and appointed Benjamin as Postmaster General (Mount).

The main points of his proposal, however, were incorporated into the Articles of Confederation and redone as the work of an entire committee (Mount 2006). Under Article 4, Congress would be held in each colony on rotation basis. Article 9 created and provides for a revolving "class" structure for an executive council, similar to the structure of the Senate. Article 10 requires the forging of a treaty with Indian tribes, as part of Benjamin's Albany Plan. Article 12 may consider amendment by majority, rather than unanimous, vote. And Article 13 allows English colonies to join the confederation (Mount).

The "Real" Benjamin Franklin

Among the most famous scenes of his autobiography was as a 17-year-old stowaway in Philadelphia who wandered at Market Street (Isaacson 2003). Another famous scene showed him as a 65-year-old observer, sitting in an English country house and writing a reminder to his illegitimate son about humility. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams would present an austere, unapproachable stance. But Benjamin Franklin would be different. He would be a dauntlessly genial urban entrepreneur, a down-to-earth and humane person whose eyes would flash from behind his spectacles. His letters, tricks and autobiography were characterized by full of rhetoric, clever irony and chattiness of the contemporary kind. Benjamin, in his entire life, was regarded as America's best scientist, inventor, diplomat, writer and business strategist. As if these were not enough, he was also hailed as one of the most practical political writers. His inborn resourcefulness led him to use a kite and prove that lightning was, in fact, electricity. For this, he invented a rod to "catch" lightning. It is common knowledge that he invented bifocal eyeglasses, clean-burning stoves, charts of the Gulf Stream and theories about the contagiousness of the common cold. He was an exemplary advocate of self-reliance with his do-it-yourself civic improvement and practical schemes. Among these were a lending library, volunteer fire corps, insurance association and grant-fund raising. He made valuable contribution to America's unique style of humor and philosophical pragmatism. He combined idealism and balance-of-power as a foreign policy strategy. Politically, he made seminal proposals for uniting the colonies and devising a federal model for a national government. And he deserves first mention as the founding father who was most responsible for the teaching of tolerance, specifically religious tolerance, in the new nation (Isaacson).

He exhibited prowess and ease in discussing democracy than his fellow founders (Isaacson 2003). He believed in the wisdom of the common man. It was his conviction that the strength of the new nation would draw power and strength from common people, whom he called "middling people." His self-improvement tips, aimed at cultivating personal virtues to enhance the common good, would help create a new and tolerant ruling class of ordinary citizens (Isaacson).

Benjamin was anachronistic and very contemporary. He would do well to fit the 21st century and still succeed as a publisher or networker with his inventiveness and curiosity (Isaacson 2003). He taught about living a practical and congenial life. He has been much admired for his exemplary personal characteristics and civic virtues, which are not common today. His morality was founded on leading a virtuous life, serving the country and hoping for salvation by good works. In realizing this, he connected personal or private virtue with civic virtue. As far as he could draw from evidence about God's will, t these virtues were connected to heavenly ones. He believed that contributing to the common good was divine. He listed seven personal virtues, which he believed should guide and define his life. These were an aversion to tyranny, a free press, humor, humility, idealism in foreign policy, compromise and tolerance (Isaacson).

An Aversion to Tyranny

As early as 12, Benjamin experienced the first signs of arbitrary power or tyranny (Isaacson 2003). He related how his strict and tough older brother James treated him at the latter's printing shop where he worked. Benjamin would compromise in many matters but not on tyranny. As the editor of his own publishing firm in Philadelphia, he led the fight against arbitrarily imposed taxes from England. Earlier in 1755, he opposed the common practice of colonists to pay such taxes and denounced these. His famous line was "those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety (Isaacson)."

Free Press

Benjamin was convinced that free expression was the most effective safeguard against tyranny and arbitrary power (Isaacson 2003). In his mind, no tyrannical society could flourish if the flow of information were uncontrolled or free. The editorial of his Pennsylvania Gazette, "Apology for Printers," has remained one of the best defensive arguments for a free press. He asserted that a printer's responsibility was to express the different opinions of people. He deplored the practice of publishing only un-offensive materials and opinions. He gave much significance to free expression. In expressing his Enlightenment position, he wrote that printers should publish both sides of an issue. He emphasized that both truth and error should be given a fair hearing. He could not imagine publishing or printing only what a printer approved of. The world would not want to read only the opinions of printers. Benjamin was neither dogmatic nor extreme about any issue or principle. He would tend toward a balance. He believed that a printer's rights should be balanced with duty and responsibility. But publishing or printing offensive opinions or materials should also be done with discretion. These should not be a cover for vice or immorality or injure any person. On the whole, he promoted free expression (Isaacson).

Humor

Benjamin's love for humor was exemplified by his characters Silence Dogood and Poor Richard Saunders in his Almanac (Isaacson 2003). He invented the characters in order to make fun also of himself with profit as a main motivation. His very famous line, "Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise," was used repeatedly by advocates of self-improvement. He would make fun about social mores and political outrages by using a device, called hoax. He wrote satires to state a moral point. Examples are "The Speech of Polly Baker" and "An Edict by the King of Prussia," which he reprinted when he went to England to present an American cause (Isaacson).

Humility

This was the virtue Benjamin admitted he had never quite perfected (Isaacson 2003). He said that pride is the strongest natural passion, which is the hardest to overcome. He was embattled with this passion and this, he wrote, amused him. He could only feign humility and he performed the task so well that he became America's first image-maker. Moreover, he organized a discussion club of fellow entrepreneurs and called it the Junto. In this club, the first rule was to show humility in conversations. The club set the pace. American would soon become a nation of club formers and joiners. An example is the Rotary Club, which is dedicated to the discussion of the common good without partisanship. Benjamin declared that Junto members should express their suggestions and questions with a kind of naive curiousity to avoid offending people. This was the same approach he proposed for adoption by the Constitutional Convention 60 years later. He insisted that people of good sense seldom dispute, as only lawyers, university men and specifically bred men would (Isaacson).

He also emphasized the importance of deferring to others (Isaacson 2003). He explained that the secret of winning people was to admire than rather than compete with them. They should be given every opportunity to show their good side or qualifications. He said that indulging in the praise and vanity of other would win their favor. When he launched the first subscription lending library in America using his Junto, Benjamin thought that he could raise funds better if their approach would be one of humility. He credited his friends' ideas and it worked. What he proved was that people who were praised would also eventually return the credit. Benjamin believed that sacrificing one's vanity a little would redound to so much (Isaacson).

Idealism in Foreign Policy

Benjamin showed his mastery of the diplomatic doctrine of realism in his negotiation for a balance of power among France, Spain, the Netherlands and then Britain (Isaacson 2003). The French Foreign Minister Vergennes was guided by the belief that "the influence of every power is measured by the opinion one has of its intrinsic force (as qtd in Isaacson)." Benjamin pushed for national interests and felt assured that the Minister would welcome it. He realized that appealing to power was only part of the task. In estimating his chances, he printed the inspiring documents of America, namely, the Declaration of independence and the U.S. constitution, which he had helped draft. He used these in influencing both the minds and hearts of the leaders and people of France (Isaacson).

In a letter to Congress, he explained his approach as consisting of the lure of American ideals (Isaacson 2003). He said that tyranny was then so widespread that the very idea of asylum in America already gave joy and support for American cause. He rallied behind their fight for the very dignity and happiness of human nature. He believed that it was to the glory of Americans for Providence to be given the post of honor

Glorious it is for the Americans to be called by Providence to this post of honor." The French public viewed him as a symbol of freedom itself. He savored his realism with idealism, wit and simplicity. Even during formal acceptance ceremonies in Versailles, Benjamin refused to wear the ceremonial attire rigidly observed in court. He was allowed to wear his plain brown suit as a court concession. After the formal ceremony, he so won them that he was allowed to stand next to Queen Mary Antoinette (Isaacson). Benjamin well understood that a mix of realism and idealism would work out in most cases.

Compromise

In his return to America from France, he embodied the crucial virtue, which accounted for his success in the negotiation and this was compromise (Isaacson 2003). He was among those who developed the concept of federal compromise 30 years later. In the concept, the national government and the State government both possessed sovereign powers. To break the struggle, Benjamin stated and clarified the problem. Then he explained the importance of compromise. Then he put in some of the compromises in the form of a specific motion. He deemed compromise not only a practical but also a moral approach. Tolerance, humility and respect for others necessitate it (Isaacson).

Tolerance

Benjamin was among those who escaped from the intolerant rule of Boston into Philadelphia (Isaacson 2003). He thrived with people of different faiths, beliefs and ways of life. Among these were Lutherans, Moravians, Quakers and Jews. He thought that it would be favorable personally and economically to develop an attitude of tolerance. In practicing this virtue, he wrote parodies about Puritan intolerance. He saw his religious philosophy of tolerance as something to last in his life. He believed it would be fruitless to insist on one's beliefs to the exclusion of those of others. This habit and virtue of tolerance enabled him to contribute to funds raised by every sect in Philadelphia. Two years later when he died, clergymen of every city and every faith accompanied his casket to the grave (Isaacson).