Common Sense By Thomas Paine

The book Common Sense by Thomas Paine was an American pamphlet written during the American Revolution, which was around the time when America was trying to gain independence from Britain. Paine discusses government, religion, and colonial issues. In the first chapter Paine differentiates between the society and the government. He described the society as being positive and constructive and he described the government being a necessary evil. Meaning the colonist needed to have some form of government to protect themselves from the basic rights. Paine also confronts the British government saying that their government is far too complicated and controversial, and that it would eventually cause problems for the colonists and the hierarchies. He makes up a pretend situation with a group of people on an island who are cut off from the general population. After developing relationships with one another the lawmaking portion becomes unavoidable. Paine says the people will be better off if they make up the rules they have to abide by instead of having set rules the King comes up with himself.

The idea of a revolution lingered around the colonies of America and many had mixed opinions of facing their mother country or just being content with the unfair acts that were placed on those who lived in the colonies. Loyalists preferred to live under the unfair acts and wanted to continue to stay united under the king's rule. On the other hand, those that wanted to be free were still wary about a revolution because of the disadvantage that the colonies already had. A Loyalist, Jonathan Boucher, argued the need for a strong government because it was what God would have wanted. In contrast to Boucher’s argument, Thomas Paine, created a pamphlet called Common Sense in January 1776 and focused on the importance of the need for the American

Few documents through American history have withstood the test of time and have become statement pieces for our society. In this group, the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson and Common Sense by Thomas Paine both hold high positions. Thomas Paine wrote “The Crisis”, which was a chapter in his pamphlet Common Sense, which advocated that the thirteen original colonies gain independence from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence was a government document written in 1776 that proclaims America a state of democracy not connected to Britain. Although they share a general topic, both feature a wide range of similarities and differences to each other. These similarities include the times they were written, similarities in the

Common Sense written by Thomas Paine in January of 1776, enlightened its readers and ignited the colonists towards the American Revolution. Common Sense was the first document that established a suggestion towards a constitutional form of government. The foundation of the main points in Common Sense were the upbringing of the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson in July of 1776 approximately 7 months after Thomas Paine’s work of Common Sense. The Declaration of Independence stated the Americans freedom from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence was derived from Common Sense and because of this, they have many similarities. The similarities of both documents are; they both call for independence, patriotism and for government and society.

Common Sense was written by Thomas Paine and published in 1776. Paine wrote it as a plea for the American people to break away from Britain and to declare independence from the king. He was asking his audience to take a step back and see that just because something is tradition, does not mean it is necessarily right. Paine wanted to show his readers that government and society is not the same thing, which is how most people viewed it. Society was something that people should want to have, while a government is something that people had to have in order to keep themselves in check. That by paying the various taxes, the people were inadvertently paying to live in such bad conditions. America should break away from and form a democratic party, one that allowed the people to decide what rules they should have. Britain was too far away to be able to rule the colonies correctly. That in being so far away it would take forever for Parliament to respond to any complaints that America might have. Britain was not a favorite with other countries and therefore the colonies were at a greater risk of war because of it. He spoke to his readers in a way so that even the simplest of people would understand how desperately America needed to establish its independence.

Many began producing rhetoric speeches and poetry that showed their desire for independence and the anger that they were building up because they were turned down for their representation. A pamphlet titled the Common Sense by Thomas Paine brought upon the ideas that they should have independence from Britain and a republican government instead-this pamphlet became extremely popular and sold over 150,000 copies. The acts that did not give proper representation led the colonists to boycott and think individually for their country-it was a primary source to the revolutionary movement including the Revolutionary War that ended with success of the Americans.

Throughout the novel Common Sense, Thomas Paine is very transparent with his views on British parliament and their what seems to be never ending control over the colonies. He emphasizes that the American colonies must gain their independence in order for them to progress as a whole. When talking about the system of the British parliament, Paine states “Absolute governments have this advantage with them, that they are simple…But the constitution of England is so exceedingly complex, that the nation may suffer years together without being able to discover in which part the fault lies…” Additionally, he shows his disapproval for the British parliament because he believes the system is unreasonable and puts on a façade as if they were.

When the year 1776 began, few colonists could have predicted what lay ahead.Most colonists still hoped for a peaceful end to the quarrel with Britain.Both patriots and loyalists were in a minority at the start of 1776. Many colonists were in the middle,with no strong feelings about the dispute with britain. Even within the continental congress,support for independence was limited to about one third of the delegates.Patriots such as John Adams found it hard to win others to the cause of independence.Adams complained that loyalists used the prospect of independence as a way to frighten people into giving up the struggle.In January 1776,a 50 page pamphlet titled common sense was published in pliladelphia.The pamphlet simulated broad support for independence.The author, Thomas Paine, called king george a “royal brute.”Paine ridiculed the very idea of rule by kings.Americans,he said , would be far better off if 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 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.

Introduction Thomas Paine's work, Common Sense, was written in 1776. James Chalmers' Plain Truth, written the same year, was a response to what Paine had written. Each was written during a politically divisive time, and the opposing views reflected in each of these documents clearly reflect the sentiments of that period in our nation's history. The thirteen colonies were not of one mind on the subject of whether or not they wanted independence from England. There were strong opinions to support views on either side. As we can see by looking closely at each of these primary sources, emotions ran high on both sides.

The second similarity between "Common Sense" and the Declaration of Independence is the pervading theme of the many offenses Great Britain committed against the American colonies. The Declaration of Independence contains a lengthy list of the many American rights that King George III violated. Jefferson describes King George as "a Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant." Thomas Paine describes the British king in a similar, unflattering manner. He said King George was a "crowned ruffian who hath little more to do than to make war and give away places." The final, and most significant, similarity between the Declaration of Independence and "Common Sense" is the idealistic way that both documents describe the future government of America. In the Declaration, Thomas Jefferson says, "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed...laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness." Jefferson implied with that statement that the new type of democratic republic created by the American colonies would be a just, citizen-centered government opposite of the tyrannical government of Britain. Thomas Paine makes similar claims in "Common Sense" saying that, "The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind...we have in our power to begin the world again." Therefore, states that both of these documents had many similarities between them both which declares the independence from Great Britain and the description of

After the American Revolution ended there was a debate on if all ties should be broken with Britain. Support for American Independence rode strong up into 1776. Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet, Common Sense. This pamphlet rebelled against King George III and argues for complete Independence of the American colonies. On July 4, 1776, a Declaration of Independence was adopted stating the colonies freedom from Britain. The time after the Revolution was a period of political reconstruction. A time were State franchises were developed and

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.

Both documents, “The Declaration of Independence” and Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense,” are aimed at convincing the colonists to understand the basic ideas that all people are created equal and have the same rights given to them from God, and that they have the right to pursue these rights. The philosopher John Locke wrote of these things still earlier in 1689 in his document “The Second Treatise of Civil Government.” This document talks about life and liberty and the right to pursue them on an equal plane of existence. Locke felt it necessary