Why Is Thomas Paine Important

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.

​Thomas Paine's Common Sense is a seminal piece of American literature and American history; arguably it's the most important piece. Paine wrote Common Sense in 1775-1776, and it's theme was to spread his political beliefs. He wanted American independence from the British monarchy. The pamphlet was anonymously released on January 10th, 1776, and it explained to the reader why the colonies needed to rebel against their British oppressors. It was sold far and wide across the colonies, and it was successful; it inspired many of the soldiers during the initial summer of rebellion in 1776. The whole idea of the pamphlet revolves around persuading the reader to side with the rebels in their valiant fight for independence, and he absolutely uses contemporary persuasive techniques in his writing. He uses facts about the present, he looks towards the future, and he uses religion to persuade his readers. In fact, it's a testament to how the act of persuasion has been very similar over the last 238

It was also widely popular. It was not only popular in America but also in Britain as well. It was later translated into Spanish, French, and German. The ideas in Common Sense played a significant role in independence in South America in the nineteenth-century (Claeys). Thomas Paine was able to influence the American people because of his ideas about government he included in the pamphlet.

Paine was not only influenced by what was going on around him, but in ways he was influenced by the writings of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. The enlightenment gave Paine some in ways unexplainable but during the years he was in London, “Paine soaked up the ideas of the Enlightenment.” Paine had ideas like Lockean liberalism, classical republicanism, and Leveller radicalism all displayed in his

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

Thomas Paine was born in Norfolk, England on January 29, 1737 to a middle-income family. His father was a Quaker while his mother was an Anglican, therefore, constant family arguments about religion became part of Thomas life (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy 2). He did not have much of formal education as he quit schooling at the age of thirteen years and began working for his father. He was baptized in the Anglican Church that his mother attended. His father had forbidden him from learning the Latin language while he was in school though he wanted to learn it. His father specialized in craft staymaking and this was the skill that Thomas learned while working for his father (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy 2). Thomas had tried running away from home twice, failing in his first escape, but was successful in the second. He escaped to London and then went to Margate where he continued to work as a craft staymaker. He also preached in a church called Methodist persuasion. It was during this time that he married Mary Lambert who died during childbirth (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy 2). Several incidents had a significant impact on the life of Thomas such as working as an officer in an excise service, teaching in a school in London, as well as being appointed a member of the debating society at the Headstrong Club. Thomas later married Elizabeth Ollive in the year 1771. Thomas died on 8th June 1809 in Greenwich Village in New York City in

Thomas Paine was alive during the time of the revolution, so he decided to support and encourage it. Common sense is a pamphlet by Thomas Paine trying to gain freedom from Britain back in the 1700’s. It fought for independence and I and many others believe that it had a big impact on the revolution, and despite its brevity Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense had a large influence on the colonial leaders and citizens decision to declare independence from and go to war with Great Britain so, the essential question is how did the pamphlet Common Sense affect the revolution?

Thomas Paine was an English-born political philosopher and writer. The Crisis, published in December 1776, is one of his writings. Paine wrote this document for the American people to persuade them to believe that freedom is worth fighting for. Even though the overall passage has a straightforward message, the reader can also understand that not everyone was able to keep fighting.

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.

Paine was married twice, the first wife, Mary Paine, an “Orphan of Sandwich,” (Middlekauff) meaning she had no money or relatives to help provide for her. Mary had complications during her childbirth, and did not make it, Mary and the child passed away shortly after the complications. Ten years later Paine married Elizabeth Olive, and they were only married a few years before they separated, in the same year Elizabeth Olive passed away. Paine passed away in the early morning of June 8th 1809 in New York. Only six people attended his funeral as he had been greatly hated for his view of Christianity. As luck would have it, Paine did not get much recognition until he passed way on all his success. Thomas Paine was never one to sit still or give up after his trails and many, many fails. Neal Ascherson wrote “Every age we get something different out of The Rights of Man or The Age of Reason. Even in this country, and even in the post-1945 decades, the messages drawn from "Thomas Paine, our contemporary" have been surprisingly various.” Thomas Paine was a man of reason. Thomas Paine was man with purpose. A man that made a difference because he

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.

In result of The Seven Years’ War Britain controlled American trade and territory. In order to pay for the expenses of the war several taxation acts and military presence were implemented such as the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Currency Act, Quartering Act and the presence of British troops at the colonies. Consequently, Americans who thought these actions violated their political and constitutional liberties opposed these policies with petitions, boycotts, and resistance strategies known as the Imperial Crisis. In January 1776 Thomas Paine’s Common Sense was composed to convince Americans of the need for independence from British rule and establishment of democracy. This pamphlet

Thomas Paine had one of the most tremendous impacts during the Revolution because he helped advocate American Independence. His biggest action during the revolution was creating the pamphlet “Common Sense” to help explain why the colonies needed their independence from Britain. Thomas Paine was born into a Quaker family January 29, 1737. He was born in Thetford, England and attended school until the age thirteen at which he was forced to leave England and become an apprentice.

In 1776, America was starting stand to up against the British government. America hated being taxed and having to house the solders. The British thought that the taxes that was imposed on the colonies was normal, their people were used to paying, but the colonies were so angry about the constant taxes. They rebelled against the government and it eventually led to a revolution. During that time period Thomas Paine, one of the American founding fathers, an English-American political activist, philosopher, political theorist, and revolutionary was in favor of declaring independence from Britain. In the doing, he wrote a phaplet called Common Sense that was meant for the colonial people to be inspired to revolt against Britain. Charles Inglis, Irish clergyman and bishop, responded to Thomas Paine’s Common sense with The Interest of America. From these two I will compare the two and decided who’s argument is more persuasive and if I would be a revolutionist in 1776.

Thomas Paine was an English-American philosopher, political theorist, political activist, revolutionary, and one of Americas Founding Fathers. He was born on February 9, 1737 in Thetford, United Kingdom. His early life in England consisted of little education, other than reading, writing, and arithmetic, and numerous jobs such as stay maker, corset makers, and an officer. He never exceeded at any of these tasks. It was 1772 where he published his first political article pertaining to the higher pay excise officers should receive. After this, Paine moved to America where he went on to work for Pennsylvania Magazine and write several essays and pamphlets that influenced many Americans during the American Revolution. Some of his crucial pieces of work consist of African Slavery in America, Rights of a Man, The Age of Reason, and perhaps Paine’s