It is widely known that in the United States of America the most popular banknotes are 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 the portrait of this person is depicted and what were his merits - 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, early began to help his father in his work. The life of a soap maker seemed unattractive to Franklin, so he went to work for his older brother, who worked as a typesetter in one of the Boston printing houses. This is how young Ben Franklin started his career.
From childhood, little Ben Franklin was constantly striving to learn something new. The modest possibilities of his father did not allow him to receive a classical education. Therefore, he constantly improved his mental potential on his own: he studied foreign languages, read the works of natural scientists, studied new discoveries inphysics 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 the printing press. Diligence and diligence allowed him to climb the career ladder, and knowledge of foreign languages was 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 gains fame among the educated people of England and France, becomes an ardent supporter of French thinkers.
Back from Europe, Ben Franklin opens a print shop. 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.
Biography of Ben Franklin 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 of Independence
The first hostilities Ben Franklin meets in London. Hastily completing his business, he returns to the American continent, where he is greeted as a national hero. The day after Franklin's arrival, he becomes a member of the Second Continentalcongress. 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 highly valued the American desire for independence. In one of his speeches, he stated: “Free peoples must tirelessly and vigilantly guard their freedom.”
After the proclamation of the Declaration of Independence, it was extremely important for the young state to achieve recognition of the most important players in world politics. France was a long-standing enemy of Great Britain and was the most likely candidate for the role of an official friend of the United States. As the French ambassador, the United States chose the most educated and popular citizen of his country, Ben Franklin. And he achieved his goal - in 1778, France was the first of the European states to officially recognize the independence of the United States.
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 a new standard for American journalism, which made it possible to write about complex things in simple language, accessible even to poorly educated people. Discoveries in philosophy, in logic, the writing of new laws and, meanwhile, the creation of a lightning rod - these are a small part of the achievements of a man named Ben Franklin. Quotations from this excellent publicist are still studied by American schoolchildren and quoted in daily publications. In his articles he ex alted the ideas of moderation and diligence,saying that we alth 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 this is the only school worthy of studying in it."
Grateful descendants
April 17, 1790, Franklin died. Grateful Americans adequately appreciated his services to the fatherland - it is difficult to find a city in which there would not be a memorial dedicated to this figure.
Along with great American presidents, Benjamin Franklin is featured on the 100 dollar bill issued by the US Treasury.
