Thomas Paine Founding Father

A politician, public figure, philosopher, writer, "Founding Father" of the US was born in the UK, in Thetford, January 29, 1737 in a Quaker family. Thomas attended Thetford Grammar School for six years without much success but he never stops his self-education. At the age of 13, he started his career as the apprentice of his stay-maker father. Since that time he changed multiple occupations: served as a privateer for a sort time, was a master stay-maker, had a shop in Sandwich, Kent. In 1762, he started a job as Excise Officer and stayed in that position in different towns until 1767, when he became a school teacher in London. During all this time he was known for his strong political opinion and straightforward way to deliver it, but his political writing career started till summer of 1772. His first published work was “The Case of the Officers of Excise.” In this twenty-one-page article Paine supported excise officers who were asking Parliament for better pay and working conditions.
This article was more than successful. Entire office was sent to court. However, he managed to sell all his property, boarded a ship, and in 1774 arrived in America with assistance of Benjamin Franklin, whom he met in England. …show more content…
Paine was speaking at a large meeting, insisted Americans to fight for independence. In 1775 Paine returns to England with a petition to the king on behalf of Senator and Congress. After completing a mission, he returned to America and in 1776 published a pamphlet "Common Sense" which has made a real revolution in the minds of colonists. He defended the right of people to sovereignty and revolution, led the argument for the need to break with the English government. The ideas expressed by Thomas Paine were reflected in the Declaration of Independence in