Benjamin Franklin

Ben Franklin is definitely not from the Puritan time period. His autobiography does not involve God or the Bible (although the first house he sleeps in is a Quaker house of worship), nor did he reference religion in the describing the people's day to day activities, instead contributing it to the "spirit of Independence" (Franklin 107-108). As Franklin did not share beliefs with the Puritans, it is easy to compare differences. Franklin was a Deist, a man whose philosophies are reason and natural laws dominate the world, as opposed to William Bradford or Mary Rowlandson who were Puritans and believed in similar things as Catholics, but without the tainted clergy of the English Catholic faith (Divine). Mary Rowlandson knew that the "elect", or God's saved people, will aid her in her time of need as they will pray for her (Rowlandson 83). Benjamin Franklin took heart in the fact that other people will help him out through the goodness of their hearts and the united feeling of freedom and independence the colonists shared (Franklin 108). William Bradford was a leader like Franklin, but Bradford led through God. He saw signs of God everywhere: the sailor's death, the six "elect" people taking care of the contagious sick people (Bradford 15, 65). Franklin led the colonists through Rationalism, or logical thinking and reasoning abilities (Divine). He made decisions based on facts and research (I do believe I sense a Green personality) and was a great philosopher. Franklin was a scientist who invented many things, a writer whose works are still read today, and a politician who is read about in history class (Franklin 104). Franklin led with his mind, while Bradford led with his heart and soul (Jesus lives in everyone's heart, or so I am told by priests and souls go to Heaven when the body dies, therefore I chose those body parts to personify for this statement). Mary Rowlandson draws strength from her faith and the fact that God was looking out for her (Rowlandson 83). Franklin draws strength from the fact that his fellow man will go the extra mile to better himself and seek out freedom and independence (Franklin 108).

The Rationalism period differs from the Puritan writing period as the times in the country have changed. No longer is it a struggle to stay alive in the harsh winters and fight off the "savage" Indians for land in America (Divine). In Franklin's time cities were flourishing and the British helped fend off (sort of, see the AP US text book for reasons why the British failed in that aspect as I could rant about that for a long period of lines) the Indians (Divine). The environment in which Mary Rowlandson grew up and endured as an adult greatly varied in comparison with Ben Franklin. Rowlandson was captured by Indians and had to march from location to location, selling what she could to scrape by with small amounts of food (Rowlandson 84). Franklin came from a poor family of seventeen children, but made himself a better person and took advantage of every opportunity that came his way (Franklin 104). If business ventures like the ones that Franklin was involved in were around during Rowlandson's time (and assuming she was not captured by Indians, although she did have a nice little business going for her), then maybe her life could have been different. But because it was not we got a nice piece of literature by the name of "A Narrative of Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson" that reflected her point of view in the Puritan time period in which she was alive during.


Bradford, William. "from of Plymouth Plantation." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 15, 62-67. Print.

Divine, Robert A., T. H. Breen, George M. Fredrickson, R. Hal Williams, H. W. Brands, and Ariela J. Gross. America Past and Present AP Edition. Boston: Longman, 2011. Print.

Franklin, Benjamin. "from The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 104-108. Print.

Rowlandson, Mary. "A Narrative of Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 82-85. Print.