Joshua Dennis
Prof. Richard Boles
HIST 3623 - Era of American Revolution
11/9/2017
Common Sense: A Historical Analysis
Common Sense by Thomas Paine is one of the most influential pieces of writing from the American Revolution. Thomas Paine started off Common Sense by arguing for American independence. He started by arguing about more general governmental and religious ideas, then he goes on to talk about the case of the American Colonies. His views and ideas set forth here helped to unite the American people for revolution and helped them to form a new kind of government after the war was over. When he used the island example to show the issues that people have with abiding by laws that they did not make, it showed the American people that they could and should make laws for themselves to abide by. After this he went on use the biblical example to show that monarchy and royal families was not the type of government that was originally intended by God, and
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To start, he talks about how large the colonies are and their current status. He presents a list of the British troops and tells how America could build comparable army. He says this to help guarantee America's security and prosperity as a country. He also explains that America is small enough now to be united now, because if much more time were to pass, and the population increase, the American people would not feel the need to unite anymore. This showed the American people that there was a chance to beat Britain in a war if need be, but only if they united now and did not wait any longer. These points are part of what makes Common Sense have such a historical impact on the American Revolution. In Common Sense, Thomas Paine had created a document which embodied everything that Americans were feeling at the time. Even though he published it anonymously at the time, it became a rallying cry for Americans
Common Sense is a pamphlet in a series of pamphlets called, The American Crisis, which was written by the enlightenment philosopher and author, Thomas Paine. Thomas Paine was a significant character in the American fight for independence by using his radicalized writings to inspire the colonists to conclude it was time to break away from British rule. Common Sense was critically successful due to it selling 500,000 copies a few months after it’s publication in 1776. Common Sense is a pamphlet that has many key ideas that show the many strengths of Paine’s argument while also having some weaknesses that could damage the credibility of his argument.
During the late 1700's, the colonies and their mother country, Great Britain, were butting heads with immense taxation and the unreasonable laws England placed on the colonies. Thomas Paine was a journalist at the time and published one of his famous works "Common Sense" in 1776. The pamphlet was intended to challenge the British government authority that was overruling the colonial power. The arguments Paine states in Common Sense became some of the deciding factors of the colonies breaking away from Great Britain.
In 1776, Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense. It was one of the most influential documents in U.S history that influenced the public view of independence. According to the book Making America: A History of the United States, 7th Edition,
Thomas Paine most effectively altered Americans’ perception of Britain by writing many essays and pamphlets, such as “The Age of Reason” and “Rights of Man.” However, his most influential piece was “Common Sense.” Published in
Thomas Paine wrote “Common Sense”, which promoted the idea of war. He explained why America needed liberty and brought up other important issues. “Common Sense” was a powerful pamphlet, it changed the minds of many people. Thomas Paine also wrote “The American Crisis”, which also promoted the idea of being independent. The articles gave colonist a fighting spirit. The articles moved them.
Thomas Paine, a founding father, philosopher, and political theorist, created not only Common Sense but also “The American Crisis” (Doc 7). In January of 1776, Thomas Paine anonymously published Common Sense, a document outlining the need for independence from Great Britain. Thomas Paine was a big advocate for separating the American colonists from Great Britain. As for “The American Crisis” (Doc 7) that he created, this document was used to boost morale among everyone in the colonies and to give them a sense of hope in the cause they were fighting
Many important documents have been written over the history of America becoming the country it is today. Some of these documents are well known, and other documents have never been heard of. Thomas Paine is the author of Common Sense, and James Chalmers wrote Plain Truth. Both of these documents are about the Revolutionary War. Common Sense is more well-known and read than Plain Truth. Thomas Paine was more optimistic about the colonies succeeding in the revolution compared to James Chalmers.
After Thomas Paine was condemned by the British after the revolution, he became the sole reason for the American Revolution and their thirst for independence. Liell did an outstanding job in reporting most of Paine’s life before and after his fame in America. Never before has as single document had such an impact on people that they took action for something they believed in. Common Sense was and will forever be one of the most valuable writing in all of our history I feel it can easily without hesitation be compared to the Declaration of independence. They are both based on the same subject matter for one goal for the colonies to breach the oppression of the King.
Scott Liell’s book 46 pages: Thomas Paine, Common Sense, and the Turning Point to Independence ultimately describes Thomas Paine’s life and showcases the struggles he went through and the outside forces that influenced him to write Common Sense. Liell’s book also expresses the importance of Common Sense, stating that it is the “single most influential political work in American history” (16). Paine was born and raised in England, in which the King and his monarchial rule would have evident influence in his later
Common Sense was more powerful than the Journal of Occurrences was and could ever hope to be. Thomas Paine was an inspiration to those who had no will or want to fight, his work was the call to action that was needed to start the most pivotal moment in American history. After having read Common Sense myself, I have no doubt in my mind that this is the work that inspired revolution. This pamphlet nearly inspired me to revolt, even after being 250-years-old. I was not alive then to understand what it felt like to be a colonist but his powerful words made me understand and made me feel what others felt at the time. This is why Common Sense had a larger role in inspiring the Revolutionary
Common Sense, by Thomas Paine, is a major document of American history written between 1775-76. In this, Paine argues for the independence of the colonies. He begins his argument with general reflections about government and religion. He then specifies issues that dealt with the colonies.
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.
If Thomas Paine never published Common Sense Americans today would not only fail to fully grasp the many aspects as to why colonist wanted independence so bad, but it also might have taken American’s many more years before they earned their independence, and it is possible that America may not have ever got its independence. Common Sense was a crucial turn for American’s opinion against Britain. It was key factor in pursue colonies to fight for complete independence. So if Common Sense was never written, American’s today would be oblivious to how the colonist felt back then.
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
Thomas Paine’s pamphlet “Common Sense” had a greater effect on revolutionary America than the Declaration of independence because it aroused national feelings and contributed to the Declaration of Independence. Common Sense was a pamphlet published anonymously by Thomas Paine and The Declaration of Independence was an official document detailing a policy of the new American government. Without “Common Sense” the Declaration of Independence would not be as we know it today.