Thomas Paine Influence On Common Sense

Thomas Paine was a major supporter of American Independence from British rule. He was born January 29, 1737, in Thetford, Norfolk in England to Joseph his father who was a Quaker, (a tailor specializing in corset making) and Frances his mother was an Anglican (a daughter of wealth). He had a sister who passed away when she was an infant, therefore, he grew up an only child. He learned to read, write and the concepts of math at the Grammar School in Thetford. He was thirteen years old when his father taught him the trade of corset making. Showing even then his fierce libertarian streak he, ran away from home and literally ran through a series of jobs in England. One being a privateer or pirate considering this meant that he was able to become an excise tax officer of an armed ship holding government commission (taxes.) The ship was okayed for use during the war to capture enemies (smugglers), becoming basically a legal pirate ship or “Privateer.” He then acquired his own shop and tried his luck at corset making, …show more content…
He was a luminous pamphleteer employing memorable phrases that could be remembered by those able to read his writings and passed on to all those who couldn’t. It force fed the citizens of his era to wake up and choose a side. His work reads that he supported the Patriots. He couldn’t stand the monarchy and aristocracy concepts of Europe, he felt to properly serve the people you should be chosen by the people. Bloodlines should not factor into who rules the land. He also wrote that British rule had no place in America. The common-sense pamphlet was, a short book of persuasion, to encourage realist and relativist showing factual benefits in separating from British rule to be in the best interest of America by raging war for