Edmund S. Morgan

Benjamin Franklin is perhaps the most remarkable figure in American history: the greatest statesman of his age, he played a pivotal role in the formation of the American republic. He was also a pioneering scientist, a best-selling author, the country's first postmaster general, a printer, a bon vivant, a diplomat, a ladies' man, and a moralist, and the most prominent celebrity of the 18th century. Franklin was, however, a man of vast contradictions,...

An analysis of American colonial history, told in twenty-four essays, is categorized under such sections as "New Englanders," "Southerners," and "Revolutionaries" and features detailed discussions on a wide range of topics including early American leaders and the impact of slavery.