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Benjamin Franklin: The Enlightenment Figure

Cameron Geiss Geiss 1
HIST 2111, Wolf
Benjamin Franklin Writing
9/22/09
Benevolent Leader for a Virtuous Nation
There were many people that helped contribute to the Enlightenment, but the most prominent American leader was a well-know political figure named Benjamin Franklin. The Enlightenment, also called the Age of Reason, was period of time when people tried to justify life in terms of scientific theory and rationalism. “The Enlightenment was responsible for inspiring revived interests in education, science, and literature” (“HistoryKing.com”). It also emphasized progression away from traditional customs and foundations that were supposedly restraining modern civilization. These ideas ran throughout the eighteenth century and spurred debates over religious order. During the Enlightenment Benjamin Franklin encouraged changes in the nature of human thought that, consequently, questioned the validity of popular institutions. Philosophy, the inquiry of wisdom, encouraged new ideas based on the principle of natural law. Franklin, an established philosopher, inventor, printer, author, scientist, and visionary, was well-known for his contributions during the Age of Reason. In his autobiography Franklin detailed the significant strides he made to further his education and writing abilities, because he believed that “self-education, self-improvement, self-discipline were the constituent parts of the self-made man” (Masur, 16). Franklin’s transcendental calling led him to become a “consummate Enlightenment figure” through his constant pursuit to

Geiss 2
improve mankind through revolutionary social understandings, religious establishment, political development, and new scientific inventions.
Franklin’s reputation was well-known in the colonies, especially in Philadelphia, because...