What Is John Hope Franklin's Frontier Thesis

Although a very loyal man, Benjamin Franklin has been considered both a Loyalist and a Patriot, but he is marked very clearly as a founding father, and as thus, should have primarily been a Patriot during and after the war with England. In this paper I wish to address the following questions. To what extent did Benjamin Franklin convert to Patriotism in the Revolutionary war, and what part did he play in achieving American victory? Was his primary success as a diplomat to France, a member of the Continental Congress, or through his subterfuge and spy ring.

At this time Adolf Hitler was seizing power over other European countries and america was thinking about enter world war two. Significant numbers of Americans wanted to remain out of the war, however others felt that Adolf Hitler must be stopped. Since Franklin wanted to use military power to protect freedom for all mankind he managed to give some good points and persuaded the American people that protecting freedom for all mankind could be possible. “What I seek to convey is the historic truth that the United States as a nation has at all times maintained clear,definite oppositions to any attempt to lock us in behind an ancient Chinese wall” (Franklin 5). Another example was “...engaged in the War of 1812 to vindicate our right to peaceful trade”(Franklin 7).

In his essay, Frederick Jackson Turner argued that the American Frontier was crucial to the development of American identity and democracy. He believed that the experience of settling and taming the West had created a uniquely American character that prized individualism, self-reliance, and independence. According to Turner, if Americans did not continue to have access to a frontier, they risked losing these essential qualities and becoming weak and dependent. Essentially, Turner believed that the Frontier was the key to America's success and survival as a nation. What did the frontier promote for the American people?

I learned about the importance of persistence and consistence regarding expressing my own ideas. Even though Benjamin Franklin’s idea of creating a union of the colonies was denounced by both the Assembly and the Parliament, Franklin never gave up the idea of freedom and liberty for the colonists, which allowed the Founding Fathers, decades later, to establish the United States of

One man saw this time and its significance and wrote a thesis that has earned the reputation of one of the most influential papers in American history. His name was Frederick Jackson Turner, and his paper was called “The Significance of the Frontier in American History”. Labeled the “Frontier Thesis”, many can read and see Turner had a well understanding of what makes American culture and individualism what it is, giving him much understanding of what challenges the nation was facing at the time. He saw these unique differences that America had versus other booming civilizations. He knew that with the rapid growth of the U.S. those challenges it faced would be keeping true to the image of the frontier, to continue in the spirit of the U.S. and what it represents.

“Franklin’s life proves that invention really is about change, dissatisfaction with the way things currently are, and a drive to create a better way of doing things.” 5 It was in this spirit that Franklin and his younger colleagues, such as Jefferson, Adams, and John Hancock, set about inventing a new nation. Franklin first thought that a form of self-governing union with the British Empire would be best, but soon he came to recognize that a new nation of free citizens had been born in the American Colonies. Its destiny could only be fulfilled through

The Autobiography of Ben Franklin Ben Franklin is extensively viewed as a great patriot and founding father of American country. Franklin exerted a significant influence in shaping the American nation, owing to his reasonable, pragmatic, and intelligent approach to life. His persuasive abilities and power was derived from the ideological principle he had adopted in his life. Through his own account, Benjamin viewed himself as a Deist and believed that the universe was put together by a divine creator (FRANKLIN, 85).

Frederick Jackson Turner’s frontier thesis leaves many Americans questioning what is to come, while Sam Foss and Carl Sandburgs’ poems support Turner’s view. The dissolution of the frontier ignited a fear in many Americans because it is what initially gave settlers a sense of prosperity and independence from the industrialized world. For several, the West offered the opportunity for a fresh start from the ongoing wage cuts and layoffs. Turner explains in his speech that the frontier forced settlers to adapt to new ways of life due to the fact that there was no aristocracy in America as there had been in Great Britain for many years. It was essentially the “meeting point between savagery and civilization” (Turner).

Benjamin Franklin's belief in the importance of self-discipline, hard work, and effort as essential components of personal success and national prosperity was a central theme of is life's work, and his ideas continue on to influence American culture and identity to this day. In this research report, we will examine and explore how Franklin's beliefs have been portrayed in the following sources, "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin," "Benjamin Franklin and the Birth of America," and "Benjamin Franklin: Inventing America," and how these ideas relate to American culture and identity. "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin" is a firsthand record of Franklin's life and beliefs. In the book, Franklin writes, "I never was without some religious principles. . . . I never doubted, for instance, the existence of the Deity; that he made the world, and governed it by his Providence; that the most acceptable service of God was the doing good to man; that our souls are immortal; and that all crime will be punished, and virtue rewarded, either here or hereafter"(Franklin 1791).

(Cavendish Square Digital) Benjamin Franklin grew older and became statement and stood in front of the people who built the united states. Benjamin Franklin was the only person who signed all four key documents in american history. The key documents were Declaration of Independence,the treaty of Alliance with France,the treaty of paris that we made peace with Great Britain now also called United Kingdom and the last of all was the constitution of the united states. Franklin services as a diplomat in France helped greatly in winning the Revolutionary War,in america threw 1775-1783.Many historians believe to consider him the ablest and most and most successful diplomat that america sent to board. Franklin went on with his life and Franklin was a leader in his day and study electricity.

In The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin many of his ideas are riveting and profoundly thought provoking; however, others are minutely flawed. One conceivable fault in “The Autobiography…” would have to

American history is filled with exceptional individuals who were instrumental in the founding of our nation. Many have played a critical role in developing Think about America as a nation today and all of the events that have taken place to help it become the great nation it is. So many important people have played a critical role in developing this great nation and without each and every one of them who knows what the country would be like now. One of the leading figures, who was also one of America’s founding fathers, was Benjamin Franklin.

During his lifetime, Franklin defied the societal norms of 18th century New England. According to the University of Pennsylvania, Benjamin Franklin pushed the boundaries of his society. In a time when colleges focused on training and equipping young men for a life of godly ministry (“Penn’s”), Franklin wanted to “train young people for leadership in business, government, and public service” (“Penn’s”). Franklin chose to think outside the box of society’s limited view and perspective; he wanted to propel people forward into an age of innovation and growth. The University of Pennsylvania also says, “Franklin pushed boundaries that moved science and society forward and helped shape America’s very nationhood” (“Penn’s”).

Benjamin Franklin is the ideal archetypal American, shown through his traits of hard work, independence, his education

As a founding father, and one of the first famous Americans, Benjamin Franklin’s illustrious title of “self-made man” rests well within and without United States. Although Franklin well deserves this fame, long passed down in a digestible title that seems to describe him just as much as it describes the foundation of America, it is important to understand how these two stories, albeit similar in many ways, do, in fact, differ. The American tale was initially that of religious sects finding safe haven on the shores of New World, or in other words, freedom to practice religion. But as populations increased, it was inevitable that America would come to be defined by the availability of profits and goods, also known as economic freedom. Franklin happened to break ground for his career at the very time this second phase of the American story took place.