Following Thomas Jefferson’s enlightenment ideals, in 1776, the United States of America achieved their newly found independence and were left to now be their own country. This new republic, to be built to run differently from tyrannical Britain, would form a democratic-republic. This new form of government would create compromise as it would maintain its democratic nature from deriving the power to be governed from the consent of the people and uphold republican virtues with Americans electing their government officials. Yet, this utopia of freedom would not maintain its success nor become created without the bold action of risk-taking. Similarly, great leaders in early America would also take risks when developing their skill sets and following. …show more content…
history. Not only did Franklin defy in his actions, but as well as his demeanor as he is described as “the bedraggled 17-year-old runaway” (Isaacson 1). This description demonstrates a risk in Franklin’s personality, however, the risks Franklin would come to take revolutionized America. Franklin took an incredible risk when he proved the existence of electricity in lightning, he took this risk by “flying a kite” (Isaacson 4) in ghastly weather and on top of that he “invented a rod to tame it” (Isaacson 4). This risk revolutionized the modern day as electricity is a necessity in the current climate. Without Franklin’s risks, our world would lack something so vital today. Franklin is not alone in straying from the traditional American path with a risk to create new ideas, Thomas Friedman would also share a new perspective while taking a risk, but ultimately share ways to improve America’s political structure. Friedman takes a risk in his hot-take of the current modern United States, “Our problem is not China…Our problem is us-what we are doing and not doing, how our political system is functioning and not functioning…” (Freidman and Mandelbaum 20). He follows this notion by describing his solution, “And our solution is us-the people, the society, and the government that we used to be, and can be again.” (Friedman and Mandelbaum …show more content…
Their risk-taking also exemplifies leadership qualities that are quintessential in the ruling of democratic-republics. In Jefferson’s situation, his risk demonstrated leadership qualities necessary to run American democracy in his writing. By dictating specifics for the new country, “all men are created equal…with certain unalienable Rights” (Jefferson 2). Jefferson’s diction reciprocates his leadership qualities unto the foundation of America’s democratic-republic due to his risk taking. Winthrop’s risk-taking as a leader also demonstrated a crucial characteristic in the upholding of democracy. Winthrop’s leadership is seen when he enumerates the foundation of the colony, “we shall be as a city upon a hill…we shall be made a story and a byword through the word” (Winthrop 29). Winthrop took a great risk in founding his colony solely on the basis of strict Puritanism, yet it would be this bold leadership that contributed to the colony’s success. In the case of Franklin, he demonstrated leadership in all the risks he took in his 84 year long life. Franklin was “America’s best scientist, inventor, diplomat, writer, and business strategist…most profound, political thinker” (Isaacson 4). Franklin’s risk taking is what made him have such a diverse array of skill sets, yet his leadership would also benefit America’s democratic-republic
Although a very loyal man, Benjamin Franklin has been considered both a Loyalist and a Patriot, but he is marked very clearly as a founding father, and as thus, should have primarily been a Patriot during and after the war with England. In this paper I wish to address the following questions. To what extent did Benjamin Franklin convert to Patriotism in the Revolutionary war, and what part did he play in achieving American victory? Was his primary success as a diplomat to France, a member of the Continental Congress, or through his subterfuge and spy ring.
Colonial America’s democracy was a work in progress with democratic and undemocratic features. With features like Individual and Human Rights, Equality, and Limited Government, colonial America was continuously finding new ways to govern a new society. While, some of their strategies were undemocratic and cruel, they realized and fixed it with democratic solutions. Their efforts were enormous, and created the free land of colonial America.
Meaning that we should look at not just what resulted from these action but also, how it may have felt for these revolutionaries to go through these trials and tribulations of a governing a new republic. The book focuses on eight prominent political leaders of that time. Who are Abigail and John Adams, Aaron Burr, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington. The Book follows, as most history books do, a chronological line with the exception of the first chapter. Which Ellis states is “designed to catch your attention.”
Introduction: The writer of the Declaration of independence Thomas Jefferson didn’t think that in another 30 years from the time he written the Declaration of Independence he would actually be elected as the 3rd president of the United States. He grew up in Virginia with a wealthy family his father already coming from wealth. In his following years, he was sent to boarding school and attended the William and Mary college in Virginia1. The persistency of school for Jefferson did him well in his adult years when others alike gave Jefferson tremendous amount of credit for having knowledge that was made for government1.
In the end, it was Franklin’s motivation to do something interesting and influential and his opinions and discoveries that made him the epitome of an Enlightenment man, questioning the things he already knew and experimenting to try to find the
Lastly, the authors delve into the components making up presidential leadership, which they follow with an analysis of the implications this style of leadership has for America’s democracy. The authors highlight how American sentiments toward liberty present
In the Declaration of Independence it was written, “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another.” A powerful line written by powerful men, the Declaration of Independence possessed characteristics later recognized in the Constitution. Thomas Jefferson, Third president of the United States, was one brain behind these beliefs written in the documents. However, running the country with a constitutional mindset often did not end the way it was intended. Jefferson, along with Theodore Roosevelt, and Andrew Jackson, each had their successes but also contradictory clauses, which have shaped the way America perceives each.
Thomas Jefferson was a multi-layered person whose commitments to the American Revolution were not restricted to his initiative and political accomplishments alone. His thoughts and vision for a popularity based and free society were urgent in molding the direction of American history and improvement of the US. Jefferson's powerful works and addresses gave the philosophical system to the American Insurgency and laid the basis for the standards of American majority rule government that we know today. His confidence in the force of training and his support for a government funded schooling system was likewise instrumental in significantly shaping American culture and guaranteeing that residents had the devices to partake completely in the majority
In a bounteous and attracting record, Ellis depicts the from time to time shared, now and again archly undermining relationship between these men, and shows to us the private characters behind the general open personas: Adams, the ever-unpalatable dissenter, whose closest political partner was his wife, Abigail; Burr, vigilant, smooth, and a champion amongst the most despised open figures of his time; Hamilton, whose shameless way and tremendous cash related sharp cover his unassuming sources; Jefferson, prestigious for his master elucidation, however so kept and held that he once in a while talked more than a couple sentences out in the open; Madison, irrelevant, handicapped, and paralyzingly shy, yet a champion amongst the best debaters of his time; and the decidedly formal Washington, an authoritative realist, overpowering, and America 's reasonable truly fundamental figure. Ellis fights that the overseeing picks that permitted the infant youthful American republic to proceed were not essentially honest to goodness, secured, or institutional, yet rather really individual, set up in the dynamic joint effort of pioneers with completely surprising dreams and values. Coming back to the out-dated imagined that character matters, Founding Brothers teaches our comprehension concerning American administrative issues - then and now- - and gives us another perspective on the astounding powers that
Benjamin Franklin is known to be an “Archetypal American,” because of his beliefs on religion, self-improvement, hard work, and determination; but also his somewhat prideful spirit. Much of modern America is quite similar to Franklin in his actions throughout his lifetime. In his early years, Franklin’s father, Josiah, had a set plan for what he was supposed to do with his life, as a minister. Soon into his education, he found an interest in reading and writing, so he began pursuing a career in printing.
The most iconic moment in our nation’s history is the American Revolution, when the thirteen colonies declared their independence from their patron country of Great Britain. Many great and brilliant people were involved with the development of the revolution, such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. But two individuals in their writings held much influence towards the beginning of the revolution. Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine were two prolific writers before, during and after the American Revolution. And while they both share similar ideologies and were very influential to the American Revolution, their approaches and their ends differ in more than just age.
Born in 1706 as the eighth of 17 children to a Massachusetts soap and candlestick maker, the chances Benjamin Franklin would go on to become a gentleman, scholar, scientist, statesman, musician, author, publisher and all-around general genius were astronomically low, yet he did just that. Franklin wrote in the Age of Enlightenment, an intellectual revolution in the 18th century. The ideals of the enlightenment are still thought of today, as they are a part of the United States’ Declaration of Independence and Constitution. When one remembers Benjamin Franklin very few people are aware of the fact that he worked as a printer until the age of 42. As a printer he had access to substantial amounts of literature.
This insightful account of the way Franklin disciplined himself gives the reader moral values to think about that could affect society and their lives. Change is volatile, the outcomes are not always propitious, but no change at all, not even for the better… that is lethal; after all, a person does not have to be an inventor, like Franklin, to reinvent
Franklin was known for creating many things that we still use today, and we will continue uses for many years to come. Inventions that we still use today would be the lightning rod, street lighting, odometer, Bifocal glasses, and the discovery of Daylight Saving Time. Franklin invented the lightning rod to protect the building from lightning; Franklin believed this was the most important inventions. With street lighting, he only improved it by using the scientific method to help improve the quality of light. As he describe it in his Autobiography, "I, therefore, suggested composing them of four flat panes, with a long funnel above to draw up the smoke, and crevices admitting air below, to facilitate the ascent of the smoke; by this means they were kept clean, and did not grow dark in a few hours, as the London lamps do, but continu'd bright till morning."
We have all heard of the famous Benjamin Franklin. From the many history classes, and conversations in general. Benjamin Franklin is famous for many reasons; for example, he was responsible for publishing the very first political cartoon, the author of Poor Richard’s Almanack, inventing the lightning rod and bifocals, and he was one of five who drafted the Declaration of Independence. These accomplishments are great, but only tell part of the story of the great Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin. In the biography, The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin, by Gordon S. Wood, we are educated on the characteristics of his thriving life.