The American Enlightenment is a period in colonial America in the 18th and 19th centuries when the ideas of the European Enlightenment became the foundation for the preparation of the American Revolution. These ideas were focused on creating a favorable atmosphere in society and promoted religious tolerance, education, and respect for science. One of the leading figures of American education is Benjamin Franklin, a writer, scientist, and philosopher. He made a considerable contribution to the formation of the ideals of the American Enlightenment, being at the same time an inventor, scientist, politician, and diplomat.
As for scientific inventions, Benjamin Franklin could design bifocal glasses and a lightning rod as a brilliant scientist. In general, his interest in the study of electricity attracted him to the invention of the lightning rod. He was interested in charting and was the first person to discover the course of the Gulfstream and gave it its name. Benjamin Franklin was engaged in charitable activities and actively developed American civil society. These ideas were general characteristics of the era since the American Enlightenment was based not on philosophical research but practical benefits. The figures of the American Enlightenment tried to benefit their compatriots by promoting European values ​​and an ethic of the good (Benjamin Franklin: Enlightenment Archetype, the Atlas Society | Ayn Rand, Objectivism, Atlas Shrugged). That is why Benjamin Franklin opened the University of Pennsylvania and the first fire department.
Benjamin Franklin valued the ideals of religious tolerance, respect for people for each other, and a thrifty attitude to things. All this combined in him and turned him into a hardworking diplomat who tried for the good of America. His ethics became popular precisely due to the diplomatic activity that began in Great Britain when he began to personify for the first time several colonies (Franklin). Subsequently, his diplomatic successes turned into a victory for the American Revolution since he could enlist France’s support in advance. He was the American ambassador and minister in France and enjoyed great prestige there.
Despite his popularity in the UK, he was the head of a newspaper known for its critical commentary on the British Parliament. Benjamin Franklin boldly criticized in his newspaper in Philadelphia the royal foundations and the unprecedented authority of Great Britain. It showed him not only as a brave man but later made him a wealthy printer. Thus, with his Pennsylvania Gazette, he made a considerable contribution to the printing business in America, giving journalism a critical reflection on surrounding authorities.
Benjamin Franklin created the first national postal network after gaining experience as a postmaster in Philadelphia. In parallel with this, he led the 1769 American Philosophical Society (Bwellington). The ideas of European Enlightenment and the freedom of society did not immediately attract him. He was a regular part of the slave system, trading and buying enslaved people. However, he became an important figure for African Americans, supporting their integration into European society. Benjamin Franklin became an outspoken fighter for the rights of African Americans and contributed to the spread of education for them.
Benjamin Franklin, being a highly educated man, contributed considerably to the development of American education in many areas. He contributed to the study and drawing of maps and did a lot of research on electricity. The results of these studies were the creation of a lightning rod and bifocal glasses. Benjamin Franklin was sincerely devoted to the ideals of industry and thrift and became a philanthropist. He showed himself as a courageous diplomat in relations with Great Britain and France, enlisting the latter’s support. He contributed to the American Enlightenment as a printer who criticized the British government in his newspaper. Benjamin Franklin became the founder of the national postal network of America and acted as an advocate for the rights of African Americans.
Works Cited
Bwellington. “Brinkley Textbook.”Slide Share, Web.
Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography. Independently published, 2020.