Reflection #3-

Document Interpretation 3:

“The Examination of Doctor Benjamin Franklin”

When I was reading this document I was very captivated by reading the words of one of

our great founding fathers. I've always had an interest in the men who participated the most in

the Adams committee to form the Declaration of Independence, and Ben Franklin's reputation is

one that always captured my attention. According to Digital History.edu, Ben Franklin was born

into a family of 18 children to a Boston candle and soap maker, starting from humble life. Later,

Franklin ran away from his home life during his apprenticeship under his older brother as a

printer, which led to his eventual successful life as a writer, inventor, and politician. Digital

History also states that at the age of 42, Franklin took an early retirement to devote the rest of his

life and career to science and politics.

In 1766 the British Parliament called upon Benjamin Franklin to testify for the

Continentals reasons for their protesting the Stamp Act. Franklin was asked a many series of

questions in order to help clarify the Continentals reasons for detesting the oversea rule of King

George and his Parliament. He was able to clarify to parliament that it was the unjustified action

to tax the Colonies without any form of representation that was the source of this detests

behavior towards the British rule. The Colonies were still at a fragile state after the 7-year war

(which took 9 years to complete) and felt taken advantage of in order to assist some of the debt

that was brought into Britain once the war was over. The Continentals were trying their best to

protect what they believe was their rights since they lived so far from the mother country. To

begin their protest against the British rule, the colonies began to boycott all English imports that
came from overseas, because if they do not use them then the British can not tax them. This

frustrated the British and was willing to provide the Continentals needs for representation on the

stamp act, but Franklin clarified to them that would not cooperate on this tax and would have to

be “compelled by force of arms” in order to submit to such a tax (Benjamin Franklin, 1766).

To counter the levying of internal taxes which Parliament was thrusting into the Colonies,

Franklin provided the information of procedures which the Continentals were to take to continue

their protests. Going back to the importance of balancing a high cultural taste for the British

lifestyle, many of the Colonies were willing to step down from the need of British designer

fashion and would, in the words of Ben Franklin, “wear their old (British) clothes over again, till

they can make new ones.” (Benjamin Franklin, 1766). A technique which would definitely hurt

the British. Overall, Benjamin Franklin's testimony was a message to the British Parliament, that

the only way to earn the cooperation of the Colonies was to repeal the Stamp Act, which later

was seen as a successful effort on the Colonies but would eventually bring them more challenges

to overcome.