Benjamin Franklin's Influence On America

Franklin suffered a condition called presbyopia, which is why he created bifocals. This helped people to see better for years after. “Franklin wrote, in August 1784 to his friend George Whatley, that he was happy in the invention of double spectacles, which serving for distant objects as well as near ones, make my eyes as useful to me as ever they were" (Ben Franklin’s Inventions). Franklin also helped discover aspects of electricity people hadn't figured out yet using a key and a kite. It was thought that electricity was made up of two opposing forces. With Franklin's experiments it all showed that electricity consisted of a common element which he called electric fire. Further he discovered that electricity was fluid like a liquid. It passed
from one body to another, however it was never destroyed.
This was all new to everyone in America and across the world (Ben's Big Idea). “Benjamin hypothesized that lightning is an electrical phenomenon, and that the electrical effect of lightning might be transferable to another object and cause an effect that could be recognized as electricity. He set out to prove it in an experiment” (Ben’s big idea). By the discoveries Franklin made he helped to open the doors for inventors and authors in years to come.
As Franklin lived his life, he had a great influence on the world. Believe it or not he actually made an impact on many people’s lives. “With less than three years of formal schooling, he taught himself almost everything he knew. He took the initiative of learning French, German, Italian, Latin, and Spanish. He taught himself how to play the guitar, violin, and
harp. He made himself an influential author and editor” (Powell). Franklin started a printing business, that made newspapers and magazines. He wrote many letters and novels. Theses letters and novels were on a wide range of subjects, including politics, science, libraries, and more. Franklin became an author at a very young age. His first well known piece was written when Franklin was 16 years old. He submitted 14 letters to his brother's newspaper, which was called the New England Courant. After this he continued to write and published many books that people use today, most being informational texts or influential papers or books (Early Life). Not only did Franklin write, he also shaped many cities including Philadelphia into what they are today. He started many components of the Philadelphia by building and growing it. Ben helped create the city’s first police force, the first fire station along with the company, the first fire insurance firm, the first hospital, the first public library, and the academy known to have become the first institution of higher learning. While Benjamin was postmaster, he almost tripled the frequency of all mail deliveries. While he was creating Philadelphia, if he saw that something needed to be done he did it (Powell).
Along with shaping Philadelphia, Franklin helped write the Declaration of Independence and signed all four of the key documents that established the United States, these including, the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Alliance with France, the Treaty of Paris establishing peace with Great Britain, and the U.S. Constitution. Being one the the founding fathers was very important to Franklin and the World (Powell). Franklin had a large influence mainly on the United States with what he did throughout his career.
Relating to this, Franklin assisted in the ceasing of slavery. Slavery was a big part of people's lives in the 1700’s. Franklin was known to be against slavery, and it was one of the last things he fought for in his life as a senator of Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania, he was the President of Pennsylvania's Anti Slavery Society. It wasn’t always like this for Franklin. “When he was a young man he bought and sold slaves in his shop. Later on he became a staunch opponent of the practice and founded an early anti-slavery society” (What was Ben’s view on slavery). Sources say, Franklin was against slavery for the simple reason that it was not economically beneficial (What was Ben’s view on slavery). Overall, Franklin created many components that shaped and influenced America to create it as people see it today.
At the age of 84, Franklin died of a pleuritic attack in his Philadelphia home.
This was caused by inflammation of the linings around his lungs. After Franklin died he had many monuments that represented him (Remembering Benjamin). One being the Ben Franklin Bridge. “The Benjamin Franklin Bridge started life bearing the prosaic moniker, the Delaware River Port Authority Bridge” (Drive the Bridge). The bridge was created as a sign of the 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition. At the time people celebrating the 150th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, so since Franklin was one of the founding fathers the bridge was also representing that (Drive the Bridge). We do not only remember Franklin for those few things, there are many more. Franklin had become an author. He wrote many books about himself and about other situations happening in his life. His novels taught many individuals that if there is something you want go, go get it. He had many inpirationation pieces within each book (Powell). Other pieces of his writing consisted of his discoveries with light and other energy sources. All of the reasons that he influenced the world, he will be remembered by. This including how he had discovered electricity and lighting by using a kite and a key, how he helped stop slavery, and all of the books Franklin wrote that inspired
others. Franklin taught young kids that anything is possible, even at a young age. He influenced the world as no one else did, from his writings to his inventions. Franklin will always be remembered for what he did for America, let it be helping get rid of slavery or helping to write all of the important pieces that shaped America. Franklin achieved more than most people did on the note of making America into what everyone knows it as today. Franklin was not only a influential person, but also a role model for authors, inventors, and government officials to come.