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Раздел V

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was a man of many identities: printer, writer, statesman, inventor, thinker, and revolutionary. He was the only American to have signed the four major documents which shaped the American republic: the Declaration of Independence (1776); the Treaty of Alliance with France which joined America and France together in the war against England (1778); the Treaty of Paris signed by England and America which ended the Revolutionary War (1783); and the Constitution of the United States (1788).

Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1706, the fifteenth child of a poor maker of candles and soap. His parents emigrated from England in 1683. After attempting to work for his brother's Boston newspaper, young Franklin moved to Philadelphia where he became one of the leading printers of pamphlets and money in colonial America.

When he wasn't busy at his business, he spent his free time trying to improve the quality of life in America. He is credited with having conducted important experiments on the nature of electricity. He designed a more efficient stove for heating houses (later called the Franklin stove). He co-founded the first lending library in the United States. He invented bifocal glasses and the lightning rod a device which lessens the impact of a building being hit by lightning.

One of Franklin's" most famous publications was Poor Richard's Almanac, a calendar filled with useful

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information as well as catchy proverbs which have become a part of the American identity. "A penny saved is a penny earned", "The sleeping fox catches no poultry". "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise". "There are no gains without pains". "Lost time is never found again". These sayings have been passed down from generation to generation by Americans.

During the Revolutionary War, Franklin played an important role as statesman to France. When he was not active in colonial politics, Franklin was in Paris making sure that France sided with America in its war for independence. He represented America's interests to the French, and as a result, the Treaty of Alliance was signed in 1778.

Americans best remember Benjamin Franklin as the foremost example of the self-made man. Born in poverty, Franklin became one of the most significant colonial Americans. He helped to shape the direction of American democracy and gave his energy and time to a young nation. Franklin best symbolizes for Americans what a person can be if he or she works hard and is determined and dedicated. Benjamin Franklin is America's first and most famous "rags to riches" story.

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