Thomas Paine was a founding father of the United States and American Writer whose most greatly known piece, “Common Sense” greatly influenced the American Revolution, and helped pave the way for the Declaration of Independence.
Thomas Paine was born in Thetford, England, to a Quaker father and Anglican mother on January 29, 1737.
James received very little formal education but he did learn to read, write, and perform basic math. After failing out of school, he began working his father, Joseph, who was a stay maker.
Thomas later went to sea at the age of 19, after having apprenticed for his father. His time at sea didn’t last long either, as he found himself as a tax officer in England. He wasn’t the best at the role, being discharged from his post twice in four years. He did not excel at the job, nor did he at any other job previous to that. His life in England was, in fact, marked by failure. In addition to his repeated failures, around 1760, both Paine’s wife and child both died during the childbirth process. In spite of these difficult and tragic times, and having an inkling of what was to come, he published The Case of the Officers of Excise (1772), a 21-page pamphlet arguing for a pay raise for officers. In 1774, he met Benjamin Franklin in London, who helped him emigrate to Philadelphia. He arrived in Philadelphia on November 30, 1774. …show more content…
His first occupation was helping to edit the Pennsylvania Magazine in January of 1775. Thomas suddenly became a very important figure as his career turned to journalism while in Philadelphia. During this time, Paine began writing articles under pseudonyms, portraying his firm opinions over real world matters such as condemning African slave trade. In this case, his piece, called “African Slavery in America” was signed under the name “Justice and Humanity.” A few months after his arrival to America, he would come to write his most famous work of art. After the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which were the first historical events involving military engagement of the American Revolutionary War, he came to a conclusion that not only should we revolt against unjust taxation, but demand independence from Great Britain in its entirety. He published Common Sense in 1776, a 50-page pamphlet depicting a “strong defense of American independence from England.” Although “Common Sense” likely had little effect on the writing of the Declaration of Independence, it did pose a cogent argument for full-scale revolt and freedom from British rule and forced the grave issue into people’s minds, making the colonists realize that something had to be done. Although he wasn’t a success as a soldier, he traveled with the continental army as volunteer personal assistant to General Nathanael Greene and wrote American Crisis (1776), as well as 15 other “Crisis Papers” which inspired the Army to keep fighting. As George Washington’s army troops were decimating, he ordered the prestigious pamphlet to be read in hopes of inflaming them to victory. Paine was named secretary to the Committee for Foreign Affairs in 1777. He eventually got expelled from the committee in 1779 due to his discovery of scandals and secret negotiations within Foreign Affairs. He soon found a new position position as clerk of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, and observed that the lack of supplies and low or no pay had disgruntled the American troops. Consequently, he began an organization at home and in France to raise what was needed. These actions of his are proven important to the final success of the Revolution. Following his accomplished goal, Thomas wrote “Public Good” calling for a national convention to replace the ineffective Articles of Confederation with a strong central government under “ a continental constitution.” After Thomas headed back to England in April 1787, he read Edmund Burke’s 1790 attack on the French Revolution, which he passionately supported. Paine was then inspired to write Rights of Man (1791) in a scathing response. The British government banned the book and Paine was indicted for treason. Coincidentally being on his way to France, he was able to escape imprisonment, and was later named an honorary citizen of France. However, Paine couldn’t avoid arrest from radicals who took power in Robespierre when he did not endorse the execution of Louis XVI. IN 1974, while Paine was
Thomas Paine was born in Thetford, England, to a Quaker father and Anglican mother on January 29, 1737.
James received very little formal education but he did learn to read, write, and perform basic math. After failing out of school, he began working his father, Joseph, who was a stay maker.
Thomas later went to sea at the age of 19, after having apprenticed for his father. His time at sea didn’t last long either, as he found himself as a tax officer in England. He wasn’t the best at the role, being discharged from his post twice in four years. He did not excel at the job, nor did he at any other job previous to that. His life in England was, in fact, marked by failure. In addition to his repeated failures, around 1760, both Paine’s wife and child both died during the childbirth process. In spite of these difficult and tragic times, and having an inkling of what was to come, he published The Case of the Officers of Excise (1772), a 21-page pamphlet arguing for a pay raise for officers. In 1774, he met Benjamin Franklin in London, who helped him emigrate to Philadelphia. He arrived in Philadelphia on November 30, 1774. …show more content…
His first occupation was helping to edit the Pennsylvania Magazine in January of 1775. Thomas suddenly became a very important figure as his career turned to journalism while in Philadelphia. During this time, Paine began writing articles under pseudonyms, portraying his firm opinions over real world matters such as condemning African slave trade. In this case, his piece, called “African Slavery in America” was signed under the name “Justice and Humanity.” A few months after his arrival to America, he would come to write his most famous work of art. After the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which were the first historical events involving military engagement of the American Revolutionary War, he came to a conclusion that not only should we revolt against unjust taxation, but demand independence from Great Britain in its entirety. He published Common Sense in 1776, a 50-page pamphlet depicting a “strong defense of American independence from England.” Although “Common Sense” likely had little effect on the writing of the Declaration of Independence, it did pose a cogent argument for full-scale revolt and freedom from British rule and forced the grave issue into people’s minds, making the colonists realize that something had to be done. Although he wasn’t a success as a soldier, he traveled with the continental army as volunteer personal assistant to General Nathanael Greene and wrote American Crisis (1776), as well as 15 other “Crisis Papers” which inspired the Army to keep fighting. As George Washington’s army troops were decimating, he ordered the prestigious pamphlet to be read in hopes of inflaming them to victory. Paine was named secretary to the Committee for Foreign Affairs in 1777. He eventually got expelled from the committee in 1779 due to his discovery of scandals and secret negotiations within Foreign Affairs. He soon found a new position position as clerk of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, and observed that the lack of supplies and low or no pay had disgruntled the American troops. Consequently, he began an organization at home and in France to raise what was needed. These actions of his are proven important to the final success of the Revolution. Following his accomplished goal, Thomas wrote “Public Good” calling for a national convention to replace the ineffective Articles of Confederation with a strong central government under “ a continental constitution.” After Thomas headed back to England in April 1787, he read Edmund Burke’s 1790 attack on the French Revolution, which he passionately supported. Paine was then inspired to write Rights of Man (1791) in a scathing response. The British government banned the book and Paine was indicted for treason. Coincidentally being on his way to France, he was able to escape imprisonment, and was later named an honorary citizen of France. However, Paine couldn’t avoid arrest from radicals who took power in Robespierre when he did not endorse the execution of Louis XVI. IN 1974, while Paine was