English 11 / Unit 1: Early American Voices
1.4 The Enlightenment and Benjamin Franklin
Notes
The Enlightenment (the Age of Reason) stressed logic, science, education and natural rights. It shaped the thinking of the founders.
- Where Puritans looked to God's will, Enlightenment writers also trusted reason and human improvement.
- Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) wrote Poor Richard's Almanack (from 1732), full of short sayings called aphorisms: "Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."
- His Autobiography describes his plan for self-improvement through a list of virtues such as temperance, order and frugality.
- Franklin's style is witty, practical and easy to read.
- Worked example: an aphorism packs advice into one memorable sentence, so it is easy to quote and remember.
Practice
Which idea is central to the Enlightenment?
Enlightenment thinkers valued reason, observation and progress.
What is an aphorism?
Franklin's almanac sayings are classic aphorisms.
Franklin's list of virtues in his Autobiography shows his belief that:
He made a plan to practice virtues and track his progress.
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