Comparing Benjamin Franklin And James Madison

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorCollege, Undergraduate August 2001

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Benjamin Franklin and James Madison, both are famous men in America's history, both are considered founding father's having played key parts in this country's development, and both of these two men are brilliant thinkers, each conjuring different ideals about issues at hand. Even with all these and more similarities, Benjamin Franklin, considered one of the greatest American minds of all time, and James Madison, considered the Architect of the Constitution, were different, and had different ideals on different issues. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the lives and ideals of Benjamin Franklin and James Madison.

Franklin was born in 1706 to Josiah, a tradesmen in the art of candle and soap making, and Abiah, a housewife. Franklin was the 8th child and youngest son. Madison on the other hand, was born in 1751, according to Madison in the Architect article, a "respectable though not the most opulent class"�, mother and father who owned a huge plantation.

Madison was the first born and received all it's benefits. Franklin and his family had to work hard for a living. Madison, though, was raised on the fruits of slave labor, as stated in the Madison's legacy article. Both of these men began a firm interest in books early in life. This lead them in their paths to what they would became later in life.

Franklin and Madison, both attended school, although, because of his background, Madison, was more formally educated than Franklin. Unlike Franklin's brothers who were all skilled in different trades, Josiah wanted Franklin to work in a church. Therefore, Franklin needed a good education, but the price became to high and Franklin was forced to quite school and work in the family trade, soap production.

Franklin's hunger for reading made his father realize that...