Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) is one of the Founding Fathers of America, known for signing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, as well as for his foreign service and many inventions. In this essay, he details 13 virtues that he sought to cultivate his character, including them in his autobiography. This project was grounded in Franklin’s Puritan roots, as well as in the Enlightenment Era emphases on reason and self-improvement.
