Thomas Paine
Thomas PaineThomas Paine
Thomas Paine has been called the most controversial leader of the American Revolution. His contributions to society and his country through his writing is still felt today. From his pamphlets and writings to his political career, Thomas Paine has taken a stand for what he believed in and America has benefited from it. Thomas was not just dedicated to America but also helped England and France. His greatest contributions were through his writings. Thomas Paine was one of the greatest leaders in American history.
Thomas Paine accomplished a lot over the course of his lifetime. He was born on January 29, 1737 at Thetford, Norfolk in England. He was the son of a Quaker family. Throughout his life, he went to and from England, America, and France. He took part in multiple Revolutions and governments. He died an unhappy man in New York City on June 8, 1809. He was not to be recognized as an American revolutionary hero until years after his death(Prentice Hall 128).
Growing up as the son of a Quaker, he had a simple life. He left school when he was thirteen and tried his
hand as a teacher, corset maker, sailor, and grocer, though all unsuccessful(Prentice Hall 128). Thomas met Benjamin Franklin in 1774 in London, England, and was advised to come to America. Ben helped him by giving him letters of recommendation(USA: Thomas Paine). This began his career in America.
When he came to America, his journalism career took off. He started over as a publicist in Philadelphia and published African Slavery in America, criticizing slavery in America. He also became contributing editor of the Pennsylvania Magazine. He sensed and agreed with the colonies’ spirit of rebellion from England and wrote his ideas of American Independence in his pamphlet Common Sense, published in January, 1776. He believed that America would break away from England eventually (USA: Thomas Paine).
Thomas’s first great writing was Common Sense, in which he wrote about his thought of America’s view of England. Because it sold so well, it is evident of his influence of the Declaration of Independence(USA: Thomas Paine). By writing Common Sense, Paine helped to speed up the process to create the Declaration of Independence(Prentice Hall 128) There were a lot of loyalist reactions to Common Sense. It had a great influence on the American public.
Paine continued his work even after the Declaration of Independence. He tried to invent a smokeless candle. He also tried to come up with an iron bridge. In 1787, he went around France and England seeking financial support for his iron bridge, but then came back to be a propagandist in the 1790’s(Thomas Paine, 1737-1809).
He spent a lot of time traveling between America, England, and France. He was a man without a country(Paine).
Thomas Paine did not just let the Revolution pass him by, he played a large part in it. In the Revolutionary War, Paine volunteered in the Continental Army. During that time, he wrote his 16 American Crisis papers which were published between 1776 and 1783(USA: Thomas Paine). He was the most effective American political writer of the Revolution. His pamphlets convinced people of the American cause and inspired
American troops. George Washington read them to his soldiers(Paine, Thomas, The World Book Encyclopedia). The Crisis papers were his second big work.
Thomas Paine had a full political career in America, England, and France. Paine has been called the defender of freedom, independence, and rational common sense during America’s turbulent revolutionary period(The Age of Reason). He became Secretary of the Committee of Foreign Affairs in Congress in 1777. His honesty in exposing questionable actions by Silas Deane, American commissioner to France, caused enemies and he was forced to resign in 1779(Paine, Thomas, The World Book Encyclopedia). Paine wanted to abolish slavery, form a United Nations-type organization, and a social welfare system before the nineteenth century(Thomas Paine: His Life, work, and Times). He still continued to publish his writings.
Thomas Paine also took part in the French Revolution. He became deeply involved in it and wrote several editions of the Rights of Man, defending the French Revolution. Because of the impact of the Rights of Man, he was on trial and banished from England, so he
went to France to avoid arrest. That was his most influential work(Paine).
While in France, he was thrown in prison because of his views against the execution of a dethroned
king(USA: Thomas Paine). While in prison, he wrote The Age of Reason to voice his opinion on the place of religion in society. Because of this, he was called a “filthy little atheist”. It was a more religious book than some of his others. It was his third influential work.
When he was released from prison, he eventually came back to America and continued to write about the Federalists and religious superstition(USA: Thomas Paine). Though Thomas Jefferson was glad to see him, he was treated harshly by the American public because of his support of the French Revolution and criticizing religion. He died unhappy, ill, poor, and a social outcast on his farm in New Rochelle, but was then moved to England 10 years later(Paine, Thomas, The World Book Encyclopedia).
Thomas Paine was one of the greatest revolutionaries in history, both now and in his time. He has been quoted and read by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara because of what he did in the American and French Revolutions.