Kyle Duffy

HST 109

20 February 2019

Critical Source Review #1: Benjamin Franklin

When a person thinks of the creation of the United States as a nation, many names are

likely to come to mind. Names such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James

Madison, and undoubtedly Benjamin Franklin. Each one of these men portrayed expertise in

their personal fields of study. Washington was a brilliant strategist, Jefferson a forward

thinker, and Madison a shrewd politician. Franklin on the other hand was a modern-day

renaissance man. Franklin demonstrated mastery in the arts of authorship, scientific

discovery, diplomacy, and entrepreneurship. Franklin played a pivotal role in the creation of

the United States, and his records and memoirs undeniably aid historians in piecing together

the puzzle that was North America in the 1700’s. His Autobiography allows an inside look

into his upbringing to unmask his motivations, intentions, and ambitions to create a

government that replicated his core values, as well as identify personal feelings that set the

foundation for a resilient model of governance.

The examined source in this context mainly consists of Part One of “The

Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin” written in 1771. On the surface, the text may not seem

like a valuable asset to a person studying the creation of the United States, but the underlying

themes of the Autobiography prove to provide unparalleled speculation into the mind of the

wisest founding father of the nation. The motivation for the creation of the text was to write a

memoir to his son, so he had the tools to lead a successful life. Part One mainly outlines the

early trials and tribulations of Franklin’s life. The section includes the ordeal of resigning his

position as the head of the New England Courant, his brother’s newspaper, forcing him to
move out of state to escape the political power his brother held over any potential employers

of Benjamin. This section also includes the disappointment that is William Keimer, letting

down Franklin at every corner of his printing career both at home and internationally.

While Franklin cites a plethora of setbacks, one underlying theme that shows is self-

betterment through adversity. One example of his adversity comes with his visit to England,

on the good faith of William Keith, Royal Governor of Pennsylvania who promised to

arrange work and boarding for Ben while overseas. “He let me into Keith's character; told me

there was not the least probability that he had written any letters for me; that no one, who

knew him, had the smallest dependence on him; and he laugh at the notion of the governor's

giving me a letter of credit, having, as he said, no credit to give.”(Franklin, 1771) With this

setback, Franklin was still able to find work, and be productive for 18 months in England.

This underlying theme is valuable to historians because it shows the grit and

perseverance of the founding fathers. While this specific example does not replicate the

magnitude of the struggles of the Revolutionary War, it shows that Franklin was developing

the skills necessary to create the United States of America as young as 17 years old. The first

part of Franklin’s Autobiography shows both tone and attitude that all of the founding fathers

shared. This understanding of attitude can lead to core explanations of compromise that these

large personalities conducted later at both of the Continental Congress conventions.

While the Autobiography written by Benjamin Franklin does not directly cite any

event directly correlating to the creation of the United States, it plays an important role of

setting the stage. The text allows historians to have some internal context of the thought

process and upbringing that Benjamin Franklin was subject to throughout his lifetime. “The

Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin” has proven to be a valuable asset in assessing the

history of the creation of the United States.

 Works Cited

B. F. (n.d.). The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Retrieved from

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/20203/20203-h/20203-h.htm

Editors, H. (2009, November 09). Benjamin Franklin. Retrieved from

https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/benjamin-franklin

Franklin, B. (1771). The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin ..

Part One (from Canvas class website)

Franklin, Fleming, & Fleming, Thomas J. (1972). Benjamin Franklin: A biography in his own

words. (The Founding fathers). New York: Newsweek; distributed by Harper & Row.