Why is it always all about the Benjamins?

Ben Franklin. Joseph Duplessis. 1785.
Oil on canvas. Smithsonian.

This block day we have much to cover. We are studying to the two worldviews of Puritanism and Rationalism. In order to best do this, it is wise to focus a representative character for each philosophical and historical period. For Puritanism we have gotten to know our own Jonathan Edwards. For Rationalism, we will get acquainted with a legend: Benjamin Franklin. In our reading of Franklin, we will begin to understand what exactly is a Rationalist.

Agenda:

1. Lord's Prayer
2. Reading Check Quiz: Equiano
3. Review Rationalism
1. Check out this Lecture on Rationalism
4. Intro to Benjamin Franklin:
1. Read bio (p. 65) 
2. Read Benjamin Franklin's "Autobiography" (p.67) 
3. Read Franklin's Aphorisms (p. 75)  
5. Review HW:
1. Begin Vocab HW for this week: Unit 3 words:
1. Pick any five words from Unit 3. Know each word's part of speech. Write a short paragraph that correctly uses these five words, is grammatically correct, and addresses one of the following prompts:
1. Prompt 1: Explain what a Rationalist is. What is their fascination with reason and science?
2. Prompt 2: Write a brief conversation between Benjamin Franklin and Jonathan Edwards.
2. Study Vocab Unit 3 and Bedford 8 for quiz next week
3. Study notes on Puritanism and on Rationalism for a quiz next week.