The Young Ben Franklin

Benjamin Franklin, born in 1706, grew up to be one of the most well-known figures in American history. Even from a young age, children know him as the man who put a key on a kite and created electricity. Although his inventions cannot go unnoticed, his writings have also influenced the way the world has progressed; however, he was not always the man we know today. A young man growing up in Puritanical Boston, his father, like many other fathers of the time, “enrolled him in Boston Grammar School as preparation for the study of the ministry” (Gura 455). This dream was never fulfilled as Franklin was forced to go work and help his father. The fact that Franklin stayed out of the ministry separates him from influential American authors that came before him.  Unlike so many of these writers, Franklin was not completely devoted to the church as the others, most of whom were ministers or clergymen within the churches. Although he could not continue his formal education, Franklin was able to continue to learning when he went to apprentice with his older brother, James, and at a printing press. Being 12, Franklin’s responsibilities were limited but he would help his brother and “sell their products in the streets” (“A Quick Biography of Ben Franklin”). When he was 15, Franklin’s desire to write began to take over. Although his brother would never allow him to publish in his newspaper, Franklin found a way around this. Writing his articles under the name Silence Dogood, Franklin would sneak his pieces into the shop to be printed the next day. Immediately a hit, “Dogood was filled with advice and very critical of the world around her, particularly concerning the issue of how women were treated” (“A Quick Biography of Ben Franklin”). When Franklin admitted to writing the letters, his brother was less than pleased. When James was later put into jail, Franklin displeased his brother more by keeping his paper running while he was unable to. Upon his release, James showed his displeasure by “harassing his younger brother and administering beatings from time to time” (“A Quick Biography of Ben Franklin”). It was then that Franklin decided that he needed to be on his own. In 1723, Franklin left behind his family and began to transform into the influential man he would soon be known as.

Works Cited

“A Quick Biography of Ben Franklin.” The Electric Ben Franklin. Ushistory.org. Web. 17 Sep. 2012

Gura, Phillip F. "American Literature 1700-1820." The Norton Anthology American Literature:Beginnings to 1820 Volume A. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: Norton, 2012. 455. Print.