Ben Franklin: Can Chess Make You a Better Person?

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ben Franklin holds the distinction of many "firsts" in American history. He invented the lightning rod, the Franklin stove, bifocals, the urinary catheter, swim fins, and the odometer. He also founded America's first public library, the first volunteer fire company, fire insurance company, and hospital, and became the nation's first Postmaster General. As Chess.com notes, Franklin was also America's first known chess player and the first American to write about the game. Elliott Drago, a historian and the Editorial Officer at the Jack Miller Center, shares the story. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:10):
This is Lee Habib and this is our American Stories,
the show where America is the star and the American people.
Our next story is about one remarkable American born the
son of a Boston candlemaker, Benjamin Franklin, grew into the
symbolic role of the archetypal American. He was, indeed a

(00:31):
blend of poor Richard Leonardo da Vinci. Franklin has the
distinction of many first He invented the lightning rod, the
Franklin stove byfocals. The catheter. Chess dot Com also reminds
us that Franklin was also the first known chess player,
as well as the first chess author in America. Here

(00:51):
again to tell us the story is the Jack Miller
Center's editorial officer and historian Eliot Trego.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
Let's take a listen, entrepreneur, philosopher, scientist, inventor, and writer.
We ought to add Chess Master to the list of
Benjamin Franklin's accomplishments. His essay Morals of Chess combines his
timeless wit, inherit, competitiveness, and shrewd strategy that also speaks

(01:19):
to the fragile yet boundless potential of America's founding principles,
originally written and presented to Franklin's small cadre of fellow
intellectuals in the seventeen thirties. Morals of Chess would not
be released for public consumption until seventeen eighty six. Much
had occurred over the course of that half century. In

(01:40):
seventeen thirty two, Franklin released the first Poor Richard's Almanac,
an immensely successful guide full of practical advice and witticisms
for American colonists. In seventeen fifty one, he helped found
the educational institution that became the University of Pennsylvania, and
throughout the seventeen fifties and seventeen sixties he served as
a postmaster in General for the Crown and eventually an

(02:02):
agent for the Colonies, representing American interests in Great Britain,
and of course, by seventeen seventy six, Franklin and his
fellow colonists began and would eventually win, a war of
liberation from Great Britain. As the colony's most recognizable figure,
Franklin's influence became essential to the American cause, especially when

(02:23):
he was sent to France as America's first ambassador in
seventeen seventy six. Franklin's convivial nature, combined with his diplomatic acumen,
made him the toast of Paris as he regaled salons
with tales, practical wisdom, and americanisms. And while battlefield realities
back in America certainly compelled France to support the American cause,

(02:46):
Franklin's soft diplomacy and charismatic force of personality helped cement
the Franco American alliance. Besides power politics and being playful
with his French admirers, Franklin spent much of his five
years in France played chess. While reviewing his personal papers
for potential publication. In seventeen seventy nine, Franklin came across

(03:07):
Morals of Chess, which at this point was now over
forty years old. Scholars believe that, aside from retrieving the
material for publication, Franklin was motivated to find this essay
due to his indulgence, possibly over indulgence, in playing chess
with the parisional Eak. These games became epic battles that
lasted four hours or more, limited solely by the number

(03:30):
of candles available to the combatants. Franklin's monomoniacal focus made
him oblivious to anything outside the checkered board. Franklin established
edifying purposes of the essay, and one could argue the
game itself by writing in the first sentence, the game
of chess is not merely an idle amusement. To Franklin,

(03:53):
chess instructed individual conduct, and, if played in the proper manner,
would teach players four key virtues foresight, circumspection, caution, and quote.
The habit of not being discouraged by present bad appearances
in the state of our affairs, the habit of hoping
for a favorable change, and that of persevering in the

(04:15):
search of resources. Calling chess a beneficial amusement, he outlined
eight tips so players could pass the time agreeably, including
observing the rules of the game with fidelity, remaining patient
while your opponents plot their next move, and for spectators,
observing the most perfect silence to allow for concentration. However,

(04:38):
Franklin's four key lessons foresight, circumspection, caution, and perseverance speak
as much to the game of chess as to the
political and moral responsibilities of the players on and off
the chessboard. In a larger sense, Franklin's lessons speak to
Americans across time and space. Living in what America then

(05:00):
end now described as a revolutionary era required foresight. The
Republican spirit and experiment can only be sustained by those
who consider the consequences that may attend an action. Circumspection
necessitated a keen observance of the scene of action. Those
relations between chess pieces akin to the various social factions
of the American body politic. Yet, Americans must move with caution,

(05:24):
for if you touch a piece, you must move it somewhere.
If you set it down, you must let it stand.
In other words, Americans must avoid haste to prevent mistakes
and steal their resolve once they have made a fateful decision. Finally,
Franklin reminds players that supposed insurmountable difficulties ought not exhaust

(05:48):
the player, nor precipitate in attention or despair. This powerful
idea of a perseverance seated with hope reflects striving to
form a more perfect union. Urges us to remember that
momentary setbacks are precisely that momentary, and therefore liable to change.
If Americans are empowered to cherish those founding principles that

(06:10):
inspired the creation of the Republic. On the last day
of the Constitutional Convention in seventeen eighty nine, American socialite
and political commentator Elizabeth Willing Powell approached Franklin as he
left the hall. She asked him, what have we got?
A republic or a monarchy? As always, Franklin gave her

(06:30):
a memorable reply, A republic if you can keep it.
Through their foresight, circumspection, caution, and perseverance, Americans attuned to
their nation's civic needs perpetuated this republic, the United States
of America by emulating the virtues of Franklin's morals of chess.

Speaker 1 (06:52):
And a terrific job by the production editing and storytelling
by our own Greg Hengler, and a terrific job on
the storytelling by Elietrego. And he is the editorial officer
at the Jack Miller Center. And they're a nationwide network
of scholars and teachers dedicated to educating the next generation
about America's founding principles and history, something we care about

(07:16):
on this show a lot. To learn more, visit Jackmillercenter
dot org. The story of Benfranklin's Marvels of chess here
on Our American Stories. Liehabib here the host of Our
American Stories. Every day on this show, we're bringing inspiring

(07:37):
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