This companion provides a comprehensive survey of the life, work and legacy of Benjamin Franklin - the oldest, most distinctive, and multifaceted of the founders. - Includes contributions from across a range of academic disciplines - Combines traditional and cutting-edge scholarship, from accomplished and emerging experts in the field - Pays special attention to the American Revolution, the Enlightenment, journalism, colonial American society, and themes of race, class, and gender - Places Franklin in the context of recent work in political theory, American Studies, American literature, material culture studies, popular culture, and international relations.