Final answer:
True. Benjamin Franklin stressed the importance of living right to achieve happiness, and unlike his Puritan ancestors, he advocated for broad religious toleration, influenced by his beliefs in deism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Benjamin Franklin stressed right living as the means to happiness and encouraged broad religious toleration, in contrast to his Puritan forefathers is true. Franklin subscribed to deism, which emphasized morality over strict adherence to religious doctrine. Franklin's belief in deism led him to promote values such as individual moral compass and good works which he believed were more essential than the strict religious doctrines that his Puritan forefathers adhered to. He believed in the freedom of religion and enacted this in various philanthropic projects, such as founding the Library Company of Philadelphia and the American Philosophical Society.
In contrast, Puritans in New England believed that the Bible and Calvinist theology provided a framework for life, and they expected not only themselves but their neighbors to lead socially virtuous lives. Although they did not believe one could earn salvation through good works, they did believe that such works were reflections of salvation. Franklin diverged from this view, taking a more liberal approach that encouraged religious toleration and focused on personal morality.