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The Ethical Revolution: Civics and Virtue in The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. by Frank Casale, Ph.D. Background Background: The Autobiography. The Autobiography was written in three separate parts, each composed at a different and distinct historical moment in the revolutionary process. Each section has often been read as correlating with the specific historical context of its moment of composition. "Part One" was written in 1771, during a reflective period of Franklin's vacation from his post as colonial agent for the colonies of Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. It was written as the colonial crisis was coming to a head, which Franklin's duties as agent caused him to be directly and deeply involved in. For most of his life, Franklin had advocated a reconciliation of crown and colony, with differences being settled through reasoned negotiation. During the last years leading up to the revolution, however, Franklin began to have serious misgivings about the nature and structure of English society and government, and he began to entertain the necessity of independence for the colonies. As he was pondering the cause and character of the split with England, Franklin sat down to write "Part One", perhaps the most autobiographical of all three parts. It traces the background of Franklin's poor and obscure family, and his rise from poverty and obscurity to ‘some degree of reputation in the world' through his self education, hard work, and acquisition of solid personal and civic virtues. Historically, Franklin's reflections on his own origins and rise can be read as a meditation on the origin and rise of the colonies, and the nature of the character of the colonies, which together led to the imperial crisis. "Part Two' was written in 1784 in Passy, France, right after Franklin had negotiated and signed the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War, and legally established the United States of America as a community. The least autobiographical of the three parts, it focuses on Franklin's character, specifically his book of virtues, and details how he made virtue a component of his daily life. This section can be read as Franklin's recipe for a successful republican citizen: the virtues and ethics a republic will require of its citizens, and how citizens can learn those virtues. "Part Three" was written in Philadelphia in 1787-88 during and after the Constitutional Convention. In this section, Franklin speaks less of his overall character, and more of his public role in society. He details his many civic accomplishments and the various civic institutions he helped to found. This section may be read as Franklin's civics lesson, as it details the civic institutions and virtues necessary for forming and operating a self-governing community. note specific discussion points for each part will be provided in the appropriate lesson plan section.

The Ethical Revolution: Civics and Virtue in The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.

by Frank Casale, Ph.D.

Background

Background: The Autobiography.

The Autobiography was written in three separate parts, each composed at a different and distinct historical moment in the revolutionary process. Each section has often been read as correlating with the specific historical context of its moment of composition.

"Part One" was written in 1771, during a reflective period of Franklin's vacation from his post as colonial agent for the colonies of Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. It was written as the colonial crisis was coming to a head, which Franklin's duties as agent caused him to be directly and deeply involved in. For most of his life, Franklin had advocated a reconciliation of crown and colony, with differences being settled through reasoned negotiation. During the last years leading up to the revolution, however, Franklin began to have serious misgivings about the nature and structure of English society and government, and he began to entertain the necessity of independence for the colonies. As he was pondering the cause and character of the split with England, Franklin sat down to write "Part One", perhaps the most autobiographical of all three parts. It traces the background of Franklin's poor and obscure family, and his rise from poverty and obscurity to ‘some degree of reputation in the world' through his self education, hard work, and acquisition of solid personal and civic virtues. Historically, Franklin's reflections on his own origins and rise can be read as a meditation on the origin and rise of the colonies, and the nature of the character of the colonies, which together led to the imperial crisis.

"Part Two' was written in 1784 in Passy, France, right after Franklin had negotiated and signed the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War, and legally established the United States of America as a community. The least autobiographical of the three parts, it focuses on Franklin's character, specifically his book of virtues, and details how he made virtue a component of his daily life. This section can be read as Franklin's recipe for a successful republican citizen: the virtues and ethics a republic will require of its citizens, and how citizens can learn those virtues.

"Part Three" was written in Philadelphia in 1787-88 during and after the Constitutional Convention. In this section, Franklin speaks less of his overall character, and more of his public role in society. He details his many civic accomplishments and the various civic institutions he helped to found. This section may be read as Franklin's civics lesson, as it details the civic institutions and virtues necessary for forming and operating a self-governing community.

*note* specific discussion points for each part will be provided in the appropriate lesson plan section.