Презентація на тему «Benjamin Franklin» (варіант 5)

Benjamin Franklin(1706-1790)

Lifeline
Born 1706
10th son, and 15th child, of 17 children!
Married Deborah Reed 1730
Fathered 3 children
Widowed 1774
Died 1790

Interesting Facts
At the age of 70, Benjamin Franklin was the oldest delegate to sign the Declaration of Independence on July 2, 1776.
John Paul Jones, who became the premier American naval hero by raiding British merchant and military ships, named his vessel Bonhomme Richard -- French for "Poor Richard" -- in honor of Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack.

Benjamin Franklin was not only one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He was a leading writer, publisher, inventor, diplomat, scientist, and philosopher. He is well-known for his experiments with electricity and lightning, and for publishing "Poor Richard's Almanac" and the Pennsylvania Gazette. He served as Postmaster General under the Continental Congress, and later became a prominent abolitionist. He is credited with inventing the lightning rod, the Franklin Stove, and bifocals.

Life: Jack of all trades
Born in a poor candle maker's family in Boston
No regular education
Became a apprentice of a printer when he was 12
A editor of a newspaper and published lots of essays when he was 16
Went to Philadelphia when he was 17
A successful printer and publisher
Retired when he was 42
A scientist with lots of inventions and a famous experiment (kite, electricity, thunderstorm)
A famous statesman (the only America who once signed all the four documents that created the new country)
An example who made American Dream come true

Literary works
Poor Richard's Almanac
Modeled on farmers' annual calendar; kept publishing for many years; includes many classical sayings, such as “A penny saved is a penny earned.”

Benjamin Franklin and The Autobiography
First of its kind in literature
Writing when he was 65
An introduction of his life to his own son
Including four parts written in different time
Puritanism's influence, such as self-examination and self-improvement (timetable, thirteen virtues, life style)
Enlightenment spirits (man's nature good, rights of liberty, virtues includes “order”)
Style: simple, clear in order, direct and concise (“Nothing should be expressed in two words that can as well be expressed in one.”) (Puritanism's influence)
Popular, still well-read today, his values and style influenced lots of Americans

Patriotic Activities
Deputy postmaster for North America
Colonial agent for Pennsylvania
Petitioned England for freedom from Stamp Act
Delegate to Continental Congress
Helped write Declaration of Independence
Negotiated treaty of alliance with France
President of first society for abolition of slavery

Thanks for your attention!