It is widely known that in the United States of America the most popular are banknotes in denominations of 1 and 20 dollars. But other countries prefer banknotes of a larger denomination. One of them has a portrait of a scientist, philosopher, politician named Ben Franklin. On which banknote a portrait of this person is depicted and what his merits consisted of, we will find out below.
Biography
Benjamin (Ben) Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. He was the son of a poor soap-maker, and, like many of his peers, he began to help his father early in his work. Franklin's life seemed unappealing to Franklin, so he went to work with his older brother, who worked as a typesetter in one of Boston’s printers. So young Ben Franklin began his career.
From childhood, little Ben Franklin constantly sought to learn something new. The modest possibilities of his father did not allow him to get a classical education. Therefore, he constantly improved his mental potential independently: he studied foreign languages, read the works of natural scientists, studied new discoveries in physics and chemistry, was familiar with the latest achievements in higher mathematics.
Young years
At the age of 17, family circumstances forced Franklin to leave Boston. He moved to Philadelphia, where he continued to work in a print shop. Zeal and diligence allowed him to climb the career ladder, and knowledge of foreign languages became the main reason that at a young age he became a company attorney and went to the European continent to purchase new equipment. There he gained fame among the educated people of England and France, becoming an ardent supporter of French thinkers.
Returning from Europe, Ben Franklin opens a printing house. His efforts created a new newspaper, in which he was the author of numerous columns, editor and publisher. The popularity of his own publication made him an active participant in the public life of Philadelphia.
Ben Franklin's biography contains a long list of his merits. Thanks to his efforts, the first public library appeared in Philadelphia in 1731. He founded the American Philosophical Society, took part in the work of the Philadelphia Academy, which became the prototype of the famous University of Pennsylvania.
War for independence
The first military action Ben Franklin meets in London. Having quickly completed his business, he returns to the American continent, where he is greeted as a national hero. The day after his arrival, Franklin becomes a member of the Second Continental Congress. During this difficult time, Ben Franklin was on the crest of popularity: he became the chief postmaster of the unified American postal service, wrote the Declaration of Independence and was an adviser to the first president of the United States - George Washington. He praised the Americans' desire for independence. In one of his speeches, he argued: "Free peoples must tirelessly and vigilantly guard their freedom."
After the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed, it was extremely important for the young state to achieve recognition of the most important players in world politics. France was a longtime enemy of Great Britain and was the most likely candidate for the role of official friend of the United States. As the French ambassador, the United States chose Ben Franklin, the most educated and popular citizen of his country. And he achieved his goal - in 1778, France was the first European country to officially recognize US independence.
last years of life
The last years of his life, Ben Franklin devoted to writing a huge number of articles on philosophical and moral topics. He created new standards for American journalism that made it possible to write about complex things in a simple language that was accessible even to poorly educated people. Discoveries in philosophy, in logic, the writing of new laws and, at the same time, the creation of a lightning rod - these are a small part of the achievements of a man named Ben Franklin. The quotes of this magnificent publicist are still being studied by American schoolchildren and are quoted in daily editions. In his articles, he exalted the ideas of moderation and industriousness, saying that wealth is impossible without tireless labor and reasonable economy. Witty sayings touched all aspects of American life. Franklin considered life experience to be the main school of life: “Experience is a harsh school in which lessons are expensive, but it is the only school worthy of studying in it.”
Grateful descendants
On April 17, 1790, Franklin died. Grateful Americans appreciated his merits to the fatherland - it is difficult to find a city in which there would be no memorial dedicated to this figure.
Along with the great American presidents, Benjamin Franklin is depicted on a hundred-dollar bill issued by the US Treasury.