In honor of Independence Day, we decided to focus on one of the most famous, and colorful signers of the Declaration of Independence—Benjamin Franklin.

Franklin was born in 1706 and signed the Declaration of Independence when he was 70 years old. So, what of his life before that great event?

Because of his prodigious writing, much is known about this great man. We know that in addition to being a forefather of a great nation, he was also a printer, a scientist, an inventor, a writer, a diplomat, and much more.

We also know that he was a satirist, had many, many friends, and was a social butterfly.

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If anyone knew how to enjoy life, it was Ben Franklin. He was fascinated with everything, and he was driven to share that fascination with others. One of the reasons we know so much about Franklin today is because he wrote about what he thought and how he lived. And he wrote volumes! He penned letters, journals, essays, books, newspaper articles, ballads, almanacs, and a celebrated autobiography.

http://www.pbs.org/benfranklin/l2_wit.html

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As a youth, Franklin didn’t always behave responsibly. When he was only sixteen, and apprenticed to his brother’s print shop, Franklin wrote articles under the persona of Silence Dogood, a middle-aged widow. The Dogood essays poked fun at colonial America and were a hit with the public. When his brother found out that Franklin had been the contributor, it caused a rift between the brothers that never healed.

At the age of 20, he decided to change the direction of his life by creating a system to develop his character. To accomplish this, Franklin came up these thirteen virtues:

• Temperance: Eat not to dullness and drink not to elevation.
• Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.
• Order: Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time.
• Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.
• Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself: i.e. Waste nothing.
• Industry: Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut of all unnecessary actions.
• Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit. Think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
• Justice: Wrong none. By doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
• Moderation: Avoid extremes. Forebear resenting injuries as much as you think they deserve.
• Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation.
• Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring; never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
• Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
• Humility: Imitate Jesus or Socrates.

Because Franklin was so charactered, it’s difficult to determine his driving core motive, although more than one account leads us to believe he was more than a little Yellow.

This Independence Day, we could all learn a lesson from this great man and forefather of our country. By becoming charactered, Franklin learned discipline, self-sacrifice, kindness, and peace. His natural intellect, and curiosity along with his character allowed him to achieve all the greatness for which he will always be remembered. CC