Response to Gordon Wood’s Podcast on Ben Franklin (unit post #2)

I really enjoyed the Gilder Lehrman podcast featuring Gordon Wood and his book The Americanization of Ben Franklin. I realized while listening to the podcast that I knew very little about one of our most famous Founding Fathers, and I cannot decide whether I respect him more or less now.

 

I knew Franklin rose from a lowly, insignificant family and became the face of the all-American success story. However, I did not know that he had so many patrons to help him find success. History books make him sound totally self-made, and yet his list of wealthy patrons included William Keith, Governor Burnett of New York, Andrew Hamilton of Philadelphia, and William Allen of Pennsylvania. This made me realize how naïve I have been to truly think someone in that situation and at that time could truly be self-made. Everyone needs a little help, and Franklin was no different, even though it makes his story a little less romantic.

 

From the podcast, I learned that Franklin was a self-proclaimed elitist who had little confidence in the common people. Also, his Loyalist leanings and his ignorance about colonial feelings showed how detached he was from the revolutionary cause at the beginning. It was amazing to learn that his evolution from staunch Loyalist who dreamed of living in London, to American Revolutionary leader, was largely caused by his personal humiliation in Britain. His 1771 interview with Lord Hillsborough, when Hillsborough refused Franklin’s credentials, illustrates Franklin’s failure in the British Parliament. Everything Franklin had put hope, passion, and trust into had rejected him, and the resulting vengeful fires helped propel him into the revolutionary cause. I had always assumed Franklin’s benevolent, all-American attitude had led him to selflessly take up the cause. Evidently, his motives were not that pure. However, as Gordon Wood said, when Franklin signed the Declaration of Independence, he had everything to lose and nothing to gain.

 

It is sad to know that wherever Franklin went, the public was leery of him. In Britain, he was humiliated by the government. His loyalty to British royalty made the colonists distrust him. Though he fought hard for their confidence, some still thought he was a spy. However, after his death and the publication of his autobiography, he has gained a special place in American history.

 

His struggles and successes are truly fascinating. I guess Franklin seems more real to me now, and, even with his faults, I admire his life and think in many ways he is a good role model for the rest of us.