HIST 1015 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Polymath, Deism
Document Summary
Initially, benjamin franklin began his autobiography as future reading material for his son. Franklin mentions in part one how he had always enjoyed reading information about his ancestors, and imagined that his son would one day desire to learn about franklin. However, he wrote the book with a broader purpose in mind as well, which was to serve as a model of self- improvement to inspire others to succeed as he had. Also in part one, he discusses how he thinks that his ascension from humble obscurity to wealthy reputation might motivate others to imitate his method. Although franklin was not hindered by his race, the fact that he was white did not much influence his success. Being white gave him a distinct advantage over the african slaves and. Native americans of the region, but he was not put in any position of ethnic superiority over his peers, because they all shared the same race.
