Author: Carolina

Reading Franklins petition to congress reminds me of the experiment he conducted on himself. He tried to do the right thing all the time and he knew that slavery was just morally wrong. In the petition, Franklin mentions that all men in the country should be able to be free in order to be happy. It is wrong for men to be sold and bought in a country which is supposed to be founded on equal liberty and justice. This petition leaves a mark on early America and the struggle to address the problem of slavery.

Franklins autobiography was interesting to me because he speaks about his early years and his struggles and shows how his character developed. Something in particular that stood out to me is when he conducted the experiment on himself by creating a virtue chart. He created this chart because he wanted to achieve moral perfection. He also wanted others to follow him if they wanted to improve themselves to contribute for a better society. Another thing that stood out to me is that Franklin used to love reading. He did not grow up with much and couldn’t afford books so he would borrow books. He also sold whatever books he had to buy more books. He read so much that when he got a fever on his trip to Philadelphia he remembered that he read if he drank a lot of cold water, it would go away.

Franklin and Smiths lives were similar in which they both worked really hard. Franklin wanted to make a name for himself in the printing business and worked under his brother as an apprentice. They had different views and it strained their relationship which made Franklin want to leave and establish himself elsewhere. Smith also worked really hard to free himself and his children by working and buying their freedom. He was also able to purchase land and buy a house. He faced challenges such as land dispute and racial prejudice but he continues to work hard to be able to provide a better future for his decendants.