Benjamin Franklin

Summary Report: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin is one of America's founding fathers, a scientist of modern inventions, and a person who embodied what we call today the American dream. As man who came from a lower class background, he elevated himself through his hard work as many people today try to do as well and follow in his footsteps. In his biography, he walks the reader through his life journeys. He starts with his family ancestry and ends with precious memories of his.

Franklin wrote this autobiography for his son, for he can have a record of his past and to have a piece of his father even when he is no longer with him. Another interpretation can be that Franklin wanted to recollect his life and have a record of it for his own pleasure as well.

The surname Franklin comes from the word freeholder. Freeholders were individuals who owned land but were not of noble birth (p.539). Franklin's ancestors have various trades in their legacy, from being dyers to being scriveners, who were professional copiers of documents. One relative that was close to his father was a politician and left booklets about public affairs and poetry.

The Franklin's were persecuted because of their faith and left England bound to the new world. His family became among the first settlers of what still remains to be New England. He was a smart boy and had great aptitude for learning things, except arithmetic. He made friends and had fun like every other young kid in those times but still made time for his studies. He first worked for his father, who was a maker of candles and soap, and then he worked for his brother the printer. He continued the trade of printing, since he was legally bounded to his brother by contract.

He was very much into books and writing. He wanted to go out to sea but was good at the trade he mastered and went to Philadelphia to