ABSTRACT
The relative peace the colonies enjoyed with the conclusion of Queen Anne's War in 1714 only served to strengthen this alliance. The commencement of the War of Jenkins Ear with Spain in 1739 proved how strong the Quaker alliance had become, as it was able to keep a militia law at bay despite the influx of non-pacifist Presbyterians and Anglicans. Certainly no one would have remembered Franklin from his first trip in 1724, but his electricity experiments were starting to gain some attention. Franklin's Character a recommendation of him seems unnecessary. Franklin's interest in electricity began back in 1743. On a trip to Boston, he met Dr. Archibald Spencer, who showed him some electric experiments. These experiments, such as they were, largely involved creating static electricity by rubbing a long glass tube and then drawing sparks from it. The proposal of a “voluntary Association of the People” increased Franklin's popularity, marking his emergence into the political sphere, and his transition from private businessman to public servant.
