The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin: with Related Documents (Bedford Cultural Editions)

The third edition of__The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, with Related Documents__continues to encourage students to think about the work's lasting impact on American society and culture. Louis P. Masur’s introduction is designed to make Franklin accessible and inviting to students. An expanded Related Documents section provides a sample of Franklin’s voluminous writings. Two new documents reveal Franklin at his curious, inventive best, offering readers a glimpse of Franklin outside of the Autobiography. A new visual source pairing invites students to interpret Franklin’s changing image over time, through the works of two different artists. A chronology, questions for consideration, a bibliographic essay, and an index enrich students’ understanding of Franklin, eighteenth-century America, and the rags-to-riches ideal that has played, and continues to play, such a significant role in American history. Cover 1 Inside Front Cover 2 Half Title 3 Title Page 5 Copyright Page 6 Foreword 7 Preface 9 Acknowledgments 11 Contents 13 Illustrations 15 Half Title 17 Part One Introduction: The Life of Benjamin Franklin 19 The Road to Success 20 A Political Life 25 The History of the Autobiography 32 Part Two The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin 39 Part One 39 Part Two 96 Letter from Mr. Abel James, with Notes on my Life, (received in Paris.) 96 Letter from Mr. Benjamin Vaughan 97 Continuation of the Account of my Life. 102 Part Three 115 [Part Four] 175 Part Three Related Documents 183 1 A Plan of Conduct 1726 183 2 The Speech of Miss Polly Baker 1747 184 3 Poor Richard Improved 1758 187 4 Letter to Oliver Neave Before 1769 196 5 Letter to Lord Howe July 20, 1776 198 6 Speech in the Convention at the Conclusion of Its Deliberations September 17, 1787 201 7 An Address to the Public November 9, 1789 203 8 Sidi Mehemet Ibrahim on the Slave Trade March 23, 1790 205 9 George Edward Perine Benjamin Franklin 1860–1885 and Benjamin West Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky 1805 208 A Franklin Chronology(1706–1790) 211 Questions for Consideration 214 Selected Bibliography 215 Index 217 Back Cover 227 The third edition of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, with Related Documents continues to encourage students to think about the work's lasting impact on American society and culture. Louis P. Masur’s introduction is designed to make Franklin accessible and inviting to students. An expanded Related Documents section provides a sample of Franklin’s voluminous writings. Two new documents reveal Franklin at his curious, inventive best, offering readers a glimpse of Franklin outside of the Autobiography. A new visual source pairing invites students to interpret Franklin’s changing image over time, through the works of two different artists. A chronology, questions for consideration, a bibliographic essay, and an index enrich students’ understanding of Franklin, eighteenth-century America, and the rags-to-riches ideal that has played, and continues to play, such a significant role in American history. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, with Related Documents encourages you to think about how his work made a lasting impact on American society and culture through its accessible and inviting content.