Thomas Paine, Father of the American Revolution

He wrote this in order to explain and seemingly demand American’s rights and what he thought they all wanted and what would be most fair to all involved. As mentioned above religion seems to be the center of most controversy, he too had his opinions and it mostly involved where church belonged and most importantly, where it did not belong. Paine spoke in a prejudice tone but proposed this to be an unbiased composition. “The adulterous connection of church and state, wherever it had taken place, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, had so effectually prohibited, by pains and penalties every discussion upon established creeds and upon first principles of religion, that until the system of government should be changed, those subjects could not be brought fairly and openly before the world” (654). He felt that if the government shared their two sense that it would shake up the whole country. His argument was claiming that it was unfair to the people to have a government share in one faith. This after all, was a new world; a world full of equality and everyone should have their own right to believe. Thomas Paine was one of the only people to share his wisdom and speak for the people and made the most points in the right direction, which is fairness. He truly supported whatever the American dream was perceived as at that

He continues with this thinking by writing, "Thus necessity, like a gravitating power, would soon form out newly arrived emigrants into society [… ] and render the obligations of law and government unnecessary" ( Paine, Par.4). The quote explains how we unconsciously group together based on common interest and once that happens there is no real reason to have a type of government because at this time we are all working and coming together to achieve one goal. This supports Paine's purpose of having America completely break away from Britain by showing the people and congress that there is no reason to be governed by someone across the sea when they through trying to make America successful have already formed a society that has a common goal.

     Paine went on to speak in more conventional terms about the specific nature of the conflict.  He had anticipated that readers would be startled by his conclusions, and defended against possible objections.  Uncertainty in the British Empire, some caused by disturbances in America, was bad for commerce.  England would continue to drag Americans into European wars that were not their affair, said Paine, and protect them only when beneficial to themselves.  Americans would not require their protection; they already had the means to defend their land.  Distance and poor communication across the Atlantic made the centers of government remote from the colonists. Common Sense stressed the need for and the power of unity among the American

Today we look back at the American Revolution and picture a united people fighting for inalienable rights, but to grasp the impact that Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” had upon his contemporaries we must understand the situation in the American colonies in 1776. When Paine wrote his pamphlet, the colonist and The Parliament in London, were almost 10 years into a debate over the rights of limited self-government by the colonies. In the months preceding the publication of Paine’s pamphlet the situation had steadily worsened until the April 19th, 1775 armed confrontation between Massachusetts colonists and British Army soldiers. By the end of that day, blood had been shed by both sides, and armed colonists placed the British garrison in Boston under siege. Despite this violence, most colonists viewed the events as a part of a struggle between Englishmen that would be resolved with the continued allegiance of the colonies to the Crown, but with more favorable treatment from London. It was with this popular mindset throughout the colonies, that Paine would deliver his “Common Sense” pamphlet arguing for complete independence from England. Paine understood that to make his argument resonate he needed to appeal to the public in a manner that had yet to be done.

Such descriptions of what the British army would push its limits to, such as sending over 200 boats, possibly frightened the colonists to believe that Great Britain's power was overwhelming (Paine par. 5). It was strategically interwoven into Paine's argument to establish his credibility and inform the audience that he knew what he was dealing with. The colonists who had not yet sided with the forces fighting for independence might have begun to question their positions. What else were the British capable of doing if they won the war? Would it not be better to fight so that the British had a lesser chance of winning? Paine's intentions, through providing his account, were to arouse the public to action and trigger men to enlist.

Thomas Paine argued for the need for the independence of the American colonies from Great Britain. In the beginning, he wrote about general theories of government, focusing then on the specific situation in the colonies

He argues in his book that it was one of the biggest mistakes in history to bring a monarchy succession. Paine thinks it is very important for people to understand that man originally was in the state of equality, which means that inequality was caused by some certain circumstances which are in America’s case, the British occupation. Originally, there were no kings, until the ancient Jews demanded one, and from here it started. Paine considers this as a sin because god only should rule over the people. The ancient Jews asked the prophet Samuel to have a king, at first he tried to dissuade them, but he couldn’t. They insisted on having a king, until they had one. This story in Paine’s opinion must be known by everyone in order to understand what is happening in America, and why they should face it and stop it. A revolution must be held by people who understand the situation, and why it is wrong, Paine had the evidence to prove that the British in America is wrong, and that they must have no king and a heredity succession. Thus, they have to make a Revolution, which is the American Revolution, urging for America’s Independence.

He had already written papers about the injustices and cruelties the Americans had to face while being overruled by Britain. Thomas Paine was the only American who had the audacity to write about gaining independence from Britain. He was the one who believed in America and its citizens to become a world superpower, and to grow into making their beloved country special. Written in his essay Age of Reason, he said, “I saw, or at least I thought I saw, a vast scene opening itself to the world in the affairs of America; and it appeared to me, that unless the Americans changed the plan they were then pursuing, with respect to the government of England, and declared themselves independent, they would not only involve themselves in a multiplicity of new difficulties, but shut out the prospect that was then offering itself to mankind through their means,” (44). In this passage of The Age of Reason, he stated his motive to write Common Sense. His motive to write Common Sense was for his patriots and the country as a whole. Not to make his political status rise, but to help America progress as an independent country. It wasn’t about him and his career as an author, but about having colonial unity amongst it’s citizens, and fight together to make America advance. Not only was their motive from the American public, but also from his fellow comrades, like Ben Franklin. They would frequently discuss upon this matter of independence and other international news, and this would have a significant influence into the writing of his persuasive essay. He spent hours daily discussing with his fellow moderns. It is obvious that Paine incorporated the conversations and correspondence with his compatriots into his essay. The long discussions that he had with Ben Franklin and his other friends gave him good ideas and a good understanding of their current situation. These long discussions were

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 was an English-American, writer and revolutionist; he was born on January 29, 1736. From 1772 to 1773, Paine joined excise officers asking Parliament for better pay and working conditions, publishing, in summer of 1772, The Case of the Officers of Excise, a twenty-one-page article, and his first political work. On June 4 1774, mathematician, Fellow of the Royal Society, and Commissioner of the Excise George Lewis Scott introduced him to Benjamin Franklin, who suggested him to move to British colonial America. In October, Thomas Paine departed from Great Britain to the American colonies. He arrived in Philadelphia on November 30 1774. He became a citizen of Pennsylvania by taking the oath of allegiance at a very early period. In January 1775, he became the editor of the Pennsylvania Magazine. In April 1775, during the battles of Lexington and Concord, Paine viewed, that the Colonies had all the right to revolt against a government that imposed taxes on them but which did not give them the right of representation in the Parliament at Westminster. But he went even further: for him there was no reason for the Colonies to stay dependent on England. On January 10 1776 he namelessly published the best-selling American title of that period named Common Sense, signed as “Written by an Englishman”. Common Sense was another article that directly demanded independence from British government, it was the most widely read pamphlet of the American Revolution.

Thomas Paine was a great influence before and during the American revolution, two specific events that were stepping stones to the Revolution were also stepping stones for Paine’s work. The Stamp Act and The Enlightenment helped Paine to realize the need for revolution, with those events as influences he argued many points, including Naval occupation, need of debt and non-reconciliation with the British, on why the revolution is needed. Paine arrived in The British colonies in Seventeen Seventy-Four and started his literary career writing pamphlets and sharing his ideas with the public. Paine showed passion in revealing what he thought to be the public with his writing and opinions. That passion lead him to be in the center of the Revolutionary war.

Thomas Paine’s Influence on the American Revolution Despite many peoples’ current beliefs that the thirteen colonies should go to war, in the 1770’s it was unthought of, and repudiated by numerous people living in what would soon be the United States. One famous person that went against what a majority of the people thought was Thomas Paine. Paine undermined the king in his pamphlets Common Sense, which was the primary influence on the Americans’ decision to go to war. Thomas Paine was born on January 29, 1737 in Norfolk, England.

Thomas Paine was a Founding Father and strode towards the thirteen colonies independence. Thomas Paine had an interesting life and career from failing in his apprenticeship with his father and at jobs while oversea to writing a variety of works like Common Sense, and the Age of Reason. Thomas Paine was an incredible writer who wrote with passion even though he was criticized greatly. Thomas Paine was an important person in the American Revolutionary War.

Looking through the history of politics, it can be seen that a majority of cultural, social, and economic issues are birthed from the hands of authors. The French Revolution had Maximilien Robespierre, the Age of Enlightenment had John Locke, and, lastly, the American Revolution had Thomas Paine. Of these revolutions and changes in society, the American Revolution was fundamental in creating the American identity and the residuals can still be felt today. Although there were numerous figures that aided the beginning of the American Revolution, Paine was one of the most influential due to his 48-page pamphlet Common Sense. Published anonymously so as to keep himself safe from the British, Common Sense truly brought the idea of independence from Great Britain front and center to the colonists. In doing so, the masses slowly began to turn on Great Britain and soon realized that independence was coming soon. Paine, with his politically capacity, implemented methods throughout Common that would draw people towards the idea of independence. The first method was to make the claim for independence a global need and reunite the colonies.