Describe how Benjamin Franklin established the public library in Philadelphia

relying only on material from the The Autobiography of Ben Franklin, thoroughly answer the following questions:

Section 1 (25 points): Describe how Benjamin Franklin established the public library in Philadelphia. What was the effect of this library on Ben Franklin and on his community?

Section 2 (50 points): Explain Franklin’s quest for moral perfection. Describe the process that he used. How successful was he in achieving moral perfection? Which virtues did he find the most challenging to maintain? What was meant by his saying, “a speckled ax is best?”

Section 3 (25 points): Was Franklin a religious man? Why, or why not? Provide specific evidence to support your conclusions.

*****Include at least three direct, block quotes from the Autobiography to support your position. Be sure to put your citation for these quotations in parentheses and in all caps. For example, your citation might look like this:

“She assisted me cheerfully in my business, . . . .” (FRANKLIN, P. 119) or, if there is no page number, (FRANKLIN, Chapter 6).

The web site for Autobiography of Ben Franklin is below

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20203/20203-h/20203…

Solution Preview

Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Section 1
Benjamin Franklin loved reading and esteemed the knowledge obtained from books. “Reading was the only amusement I allow’d myself. I spent no time in taverns, games, or frolicks of any kind (FRANKLIN, Chapter 8). This passion motivated him to establish a public library in Philadelphia, in order to provide an opportunity to all the members of the community to to exchange reading materials and ensure its continuity.

(435 words)