COMMON SENSE Thomas Paine January 10 1776 Rallying
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COMMON SENSE Thomas Paine January 10, 1776 Rallying, Influencing, Motivating.
Thomas Paine • Born in Great Britain, January 29, 1737 • Self-taught • Immigrated to America 1774 • Involved in American political life
“I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense, ” Argued strongly for COMPLETE American Independence, not just freedom from British taxation
What was “Common Sense? ” • Revolutionary war pamphlet • English, 48 pages • First published anonymously January 10, 1776 • Sold 500, 000 copies in first year & 25 editions • Precursor to the Declaration of Independence, which was written six months later
How did Common Sense succeed in inspiring so much revolutionary feeling?
• Used forceful everyday language, influencing workers to attack the idea that the British King should rule the American Colonies • American independence would be a victory for humans everywhere • Words convinced many Americans that the cause of independence was a just one • Played a central role in rallying public opinion; convinced many who were unsure of the purpose of the war
• ‘The sun never shined on a greater cause of worth, tis not the concern of a day, a year or an age. Prosperity will be affected, even to the end of time’ – Paine.
• “There is something very absurd in supposing a continent to be perpetually governed by an island, ” • “We may as well assert that because a child has thrived upon milk, that it is never to have meat. ” -Paine
Chapter I. ‘Of the Origin and Design of Government in general, with concise Remarks on the English Constitution. ’ • Introduces idea that there is a difference between Government and Society • “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…” -Paine
Chapter 2 - ‘Of Monarchy and Hereditary Succession’ • Paine argues that all men are born equal and there should be no distinction between kings and subjects. • ‘In England a king hath little more to do than to make war and give away places; […]A pretty business indeed for a man to be allowed eight hundred thousand sterling a year for, and worshipped into the bargain! Of more worth is one honest man to society and in the sight of God, than all the crowned ruffians that ever lived. -Paine
Chapter 3 - ‘Thoughts on the present State of American Affairs. ’ • Examines hostilities between American Colonies and Britain • Argues for independence • Continental Charter "should come from some intermediate body between the Congress and the people… [we must ensure] freedom and property to all men, and… the free exercise of religion. ”
Chapter 4 – ‘On the Present Ability of America, with some Miscellaneous Reflections. ’, • Paine's optimistic view of America's military potential. • “It is not in numbers, but in unity, that our great strength lies; yet our present numbers are sufficient to repel the force of all the world” -Paine
Paine’s PAIN. • It was absurd for an island to rule a continent. • America was not a British nation • Britain the "mother country" should take better care of it’s ‘child’, the colonies. • Being a part of Britain would drag America into unnecessary European wars, • The distance • Puritans believed that God wanted to give them a safe haven from the persecution of British rule. • Britain ruled the colonies for its own benefit, and would not let the colonies have a say
Common Sense Succeeds? • Crucial in turning American opinion against Britain and was one of the key factors in the colonies' decision to engage in a battle for complete independence • Continental congress in 1774 not all convinced that complete independence was desirable. • "Without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain. ” – John Adams
Success again • December, 1776, New Jersey • ‘[to] reap the blessings of freedom, [we] must undergo the fatigue to support it’ • “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. ” -Paine
Conclusion • Thomas Paine created written revolution • Common Sense forever renowned as instruction, motivational, and revolutionary • He INDEED created feeling of revolution. • ‘To say that any people are not fit for freedom, is to make poverty their choice, and to say they had rather been loaded with taxes than not. ’ -Paine
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