Taylor Bordosky
46 Pages Book Review
Julie Pitt
History 1301-5040
25 February 2014
Scott Liell, 46 Pages: Thomas Paine, Common Sense, and the Turning Point to Independence, ISBN 9780762418138.
Scott Liell’s book 46 pages: Thomas Paine, Common Sense, and the Turning Point to Independence ultimately describes Thomas Paine’s life and showcases the struggles he went through and the outside forces that influenced him to write Common Sense. Liell’s book also expresses the importance of Common Sense, stating that it is the “single most influential political work in American history” (16). Paine was born and raised in England, in which the King and his monarchial rule would have evident influence in his later
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Each of these aspects would influence his unsentimental outlook of the social, political, and governance issues that he would later inform people of in his most famous works (28). This viewpoint of his can clearly be seen in all his works. The next point Liell makes that was significant in the creation of Common Sense is the time and place in which Paine arrived in America. In November of 1774, the ship Paine was travelling on docked in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the time, the colony had a population of 30,000, making it the largest city in America (45). John Adams expressed his first impression of the city, saying that “the regularity and elegance of this city are very striking” (45). Philadelphia was the center of colonial events. From the first continental congress to the everyday flow of information, there was always something going on (48). Paine was fortunate enough to be right in the middle of it. It was here that Paine began writing for Pennsylvania Magazine, the most widely read magazine in the colonies (51). Through his work at the magazine, he began to find pleasure in his writing and was glad to have found a way to express his voice (51). It was an innovative time and place, and if not for Paine’s timing, he would not have gained the cultural influences that the city provided for him. Finally, and probably most importantly, Liell reflects on Benjamin Franklin’s influence on Thomas Paine. The two men had many things in common. They
During the late 1700's, the colonies and their mother country, Great Britain, were butting heads with immense taxation and the unreasonable laws England placed on the colonies. Thomas Paine was a journalist at the time and published one of his famous works "Common Sense" in 1776. The pamphlet was intended to challenge the British government authority that was overruling the colonial power. The arguments Paine states in Common Sense became some of the deciding factors of the colonies breaking away from Great Britain.
Thomas Paine was a British-born citizen of Pennsylvania whose formal education ended at only thirteen years old, but he chose to educate himself in his free-time. He met Benjamin Franklin who then persuaded him to move to the colonies. He introduced his views of an independent Continent very shortly before the American Revolution, which heavily influenced many middle-of-the-road colonists. Common Sense is arguably his most influential work, and it was decidedly written in such a manner that the common folk could comprehend. In his famous pamphlet, he writes about government as a necessary evil, state of nature, the problems of monarchial systems of government, the
After this new start, Paine began his career of publishing articles and pamphlets in the colonies. His first published essay was African Slavery in America. This article argued that slavery was unjust and inhumane. Paine also wrote and co-edited the Pennsylvania Magazine. He used this format to express new ideas and learn about his audience. In January of 1776, Paine published Common Sense, which would unite his fellow colonists on a path to either freedom or “high treason.” Paine continued to publish throughout the ensuing revolution. He published a series of essays titled the American Crisis Papers. These sixteen papers flamed the embers kindled by Common Sense; they urged the colonists to fight against their perpetual enslavement by Great Britain. Although Paine’s early works often sold out, his contemporaries later
Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense, to explain his vision of the ideal government, one where people vote and elect a person to run the country, which is similar to our democracy today( “the great power of government be held in one elected legislature for the nation and one for each individual province”). He mainly criticizes Great Britain and how we need to break away and become our own country or government? After his writing went public and explaining what had happened between America and Great Britain, it was time for America to finally secede.
Thomas Paine was a philosopher of religion, and science, hie wrote the common sense, he wrote a few essays depends on the occurred happen in his life. Paine life was so difficult with his wife 's death, children, and losing his job. He lived in the Great Britain since 1737 was born in Thetford, England. Thomas Paine became extremely important. In 1776, he published the first essay about the Common Sense. The reason why Paine wrote the common sense is to inspire the army and to make his vision become true of being an independent country. Paine was successful as a solid, but he pamphlet become so popular among the solid and inspires them to fight against the British. Paine was the real catalyst for freedom from British colonial rule.
Common Sense, by Thomas Paine, is a major document of American history written between 1775-76. In this, Paine argues for the independence of the colonies. He begins his argument with general reflections about government and religion. He then specifies issues that dealt with the colonies.
Thomas Paine was responsible for some of the most influential works of the revolution. Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense was a very crucial part to America and its movement of independence from Britain. Paine was effective with his writings by being very plain. He wanted both farmers and officials to understand what he was talking about and be able to comprehend his ideas. Paine wanted to put his ideas out to the people of the American colonies so that they could understand it just by reading and not have to analyze and decipher what he was really trying to get across. He wanted to let the colonist know that there was no more room for talking about a split from English rule but it was time for the colonies to unite and take up arms against their British oppressors.
Thomas Paine wrote secretly, yet spoke to the public on the occasion of him speaking out about his beliefs. The first pamphlet he published, persuading liberation from Britain, was called Common Sense. Paine believed that America needed to break free of the British controls. He was against
If Thomas Paine never published Common Sense Americans today would not only fail to fully grasp the many aspects as to why colonist wanted independence so bad, but it also might have taken American’s many more years before they earned their independence, and it is possible that America may not have ever got its independence. Common Sense was a crucial turn for American’s opinion against Britain. It was key factor in pursue colonies to fight for complete independence. So if Common Sense was never written, American’s today would be oblivious to how the colonist felt back then.
“In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments and, common sense.” (Common Sense, Thomas Paine) Thomas Paine is seen as one of the most influential and outspoken igniters of the American Revolution. In his pamphlet commonsense he addresses all the ideas of government and constitutional pragmatism. William Hogeland in his article Thomas Paine’s Revolutionary Reckoning. Hogeland describes Paine’s life in great detail as well as showing the conflict between Paine and President George Washington. The connection between Paine and Washington is one that really brings into perspective how much Paine’s writtings meant in defining how America took up arms against England. What is most interesting about Hogelands
As the year 1776 began in the American colonies, tension with King George III’s England was at perhaps an all-time high. Americans were frustrated with the actions of their rulers overseas. Taxes and trade restrictions had been placed on them, and British and mercenary soldiers occupied their towns and cities. There had even been fighting at Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill. As America grew, England’s hold on it tightened, and a few voices began speaking of independence. The loudest and most convincing of these belonged to Thomas Paine, born in England and living in Philadelphia. His pamphlet, Common Sense, expressed the argument for American independence in a way no one had before and had a great influence on the Declaration of
He wrote the influential pamphlet Common Sense, which was an assault on monarchial rule and the American colonies independence from Britain. “Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one; for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries by a government, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer. ”(Paine) Paine also felt that society as a whole, was produced by our wants, and governed by our wickedness. Paine was once imprisoned in Britain for sedition.
Thomas Paine's Common Sense pamphlet is an argument for American independence. There is talk on how when the settlers first came to America they still when by the English government and did not create there own. Also how he dislikes monarchies and how he views government should be or how he proposes it. He also talks how people who are rulers of monarchies have the power like God there devine right to be in the place that they are in. Then he goes into how America can not recosol ties with Great-Britain due to that in the future there will be more problems than there are at the moment and it could cause problems for there traid. Through time things had changed since the settlers came to the new world.
One of the most fundamental people in the push for American Independence, Thomas Paine offers much advice in both Common Sense, and The Crisis. Paine offers very strong arguments in Common Sense, which are supported by his own reason, his sensibility, his common sense and by his ability to draw inference from what has already happened. Paine uses every element in his ability to help give more depth to his arguments and plans. However, of all the cases Thomas Paine makes in Common Sense, the ultimate goal of Paine is to incite the American Public to make a stand against British tyranny, and break from Britain altogether, and become independent.
Thomas Paine was alive during the 18th century and was a very influential writer of essays and pamphlets. Some of his best known ones were “The Age of Reason,” which regards the place of religion in society. Also “Rights of Man,” which defends the French Revolution. Finally the one he is best known for “Common Sense,” which he published during the American Revolution. This book was definitely Paine’s most influential piece which turned public opinion to the view that independence from England was needed.