Poor Richard's Almanac By Benjamin Franklin

Poor Richard’s Almanac by Benjamin Franklin defines an American during this time period as someone who works hard, builds wealth, and values wisdom. Franklin defines an American as a hard worker throughout the text, emphasizing its importance. One example of this definition is “Work while it is called today for you know not how much you may be hindered tomorrow.” This shows that you must not put work off and complete it by working hard. By showing the benefits of hard work. Franklin outlines what an American should look like. After working hard, he shows how saving is wise and can build wealth. This is best displayed in the line, “If you would be wealthy think of saving as well as getting: The Indies have not made Spain rich because her outgoes …show more content…
Jean de Crevecoeur that describes American as democratic, law abiding, and cooperative cultivators. The first way that an American is described as in “What is an American?” is a democrat. This is proven throughout the text, and one example is “Here are no aristocratical families, no courts, no kings, no bishops, no ecclesiastical dominion, no invisible power to a few a very visible one.” The main point here and throughout is that there and no kings, and the people rule, which is the definition of democracy. By stating how Americans are difference and practice democracy, it gives Americans this definition. Law abiding citizens is the next way that Americans are defined. It is best displayed in the line, “The laws, the indulgent laws, protect them as they arrive, stamping on them the symbol of adoption…” This gives the laws a positive description and a desire to be followed. It hints to the fact that Americans want to follow these laws. The last way that Crevecoeur defines Americans is as cultivates, who work together. He writes, “We are all people of cultivators, scattered over an immense territory communicating with each other…” Her, along with other places in the text, he displays how Americans work and cooperate together. In this way, he describes Americans as cooperative cultivators. Democratic, law abiding, and cultivators are all ways that Crevecoeur describes Americans in “What is an …show more content…
One way their description is similar is in the work ethic of Americans. They both define an American as hard-working, as shown in the quotes, “Each person works for himself,” (Crevecoeur) and “There are no gains without pains.” (Franklin) Both of these imply that an American is someone who works hard. This is a good description of how both texts similarly define an American. Another similarity in the descriptions of Americans is that they are themselves and have their own opinions. This fact is best shown Crevecoeur’s text, “The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles, he must therefore entertain new ideas, and form new opinions.” Both texts portray this idea of independence and individual opinions. This is a great way that both writings define Americans. Wisdom is the last characteristic that both texts give Americans. A simple of this is in Franklin’s text, “Fools make feasts and wise men eat them.” This simple saying shows the value of wisdom, which is reiterated in the second text as well. Both of the writing say that an American values wisdom. A hard work ethic, independence in thinking, and growing in wisdom are all ways that Poor Richard’s Almanac and “What is an American?” describe