Throughout history people emerge in each time period that define that era, men who define the thinking, technology, culture, religion, and every other aspect of that time period. From the time of ancient Greece which had such prodigies as Socrates and Aristotle, men who were not only brilliant, but also historians, mathematicians, and astronomers. To the Revolutionary period of America, which held such courageous men such as Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and Benjamin Franklin? It is men like these who greatly helped shape America’s independence. A man who stands out among these names is “The First American”, Benjamin Franklin who goes beyond being simply a symbol of America’s conquest for freedom, but is truly an American hero. Benjamin Franklin’s heroism exists in his numerous achievements in politics, his scientific inventions, and his accomplishment of truly being “The First American”.
Franklin’s contributions to the world of inventions, and science prove his ideal heroism. Some of Franklin’s contributions include his improvements on Franklin’s stove, he invented the Pennsylvania fireplace, which retained and dispersed heat evenly in a room. Franklin shaped perhaps the first idea of electricity; he also helped improved city’s pavements, street lighting, sanitations, fire companies, and police. These are a small amount of Franklin’s more material accomplishments, but they are also some of his strongest. Franklin is considered an American hero because although he was a politician, he felt the need to go above and beyond his regular duties. Franklin strived for perfection and had a strong to desire to help his fellow man. Whether it was improving the quality of his community by looking at such common aspects like city pavement, or street lights, or by making a large technological breakthrough and creating something like the musical armonica. Although Ben Franklin’s heroism was never symbolized in any battle, it was largely seen with his constant attempts in...