Chronicles the founding father's life and his multiple careers as a shopkeeper, writer, inventor, media baron, scientist, diplomat, business strategist, and political leader, while showing how his faith in the wisdom of the common citizen helped to forge an American national identity based on the virtues of its middle class. 150,000 first printing. CHAPTER ONE Benjamin Franklin and the Invention of America 1(4) CHAPTER TWO Pilgrim's Progress: Boston, 1706-1723 5(31) CHAPTER THREE Journeyman: Philadelphia and London, 1723-1726 36(16) CHAPTER FOUR Printer: Philadelphia, 1726-1732 52(50) CHAPTER FIVE Public Citizen: Philadelphia, 1731-1748 102(27) CHAPTER SIX Scientist and Inventor: Philadelphia, 1744-1751 129(17) CHAPTER SEVEN Politician: Philadelphia, 1749-1756 146(29) CHAPTER EIGHT Troubled Waters: London, 1757-1762 175(31) CHAPTER NINE Home Leave: Philadelphia, 1763-1764 206(13) CHAPTER TEN Agent Provocateur: London, 1765-1770 219(33) CHAPTER ELEVEN Rebel: London, 1771-1775 252(38) CHAPTER TWELVE Independence: Philadelphia, 1775-1776 290(35) CHAPTER THIRTEEN Courtier: Paris, 1776-1778 325(25) CHAPTER FOURTEEN Bon Vivant: Paris, 1778-1785 350(32) CHAPTER FIFTEEN Peacemaker: Paris, 1778-1785 382(54) CHAPTER SIXTEEN Sage: Philadelphia, 1785-1790 436(35) CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Epilogue 471(5) CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Conclusions 476(19) Cast of Characters 495(8) Chronology 503(4) Currency Conversions 507(2) Acknowledgments 509(4) Sources and Abbreviations 513(6) Notes 519(48) Index 567