How Did Thomas Paine Influence The American Revolution

Thomas Paine was an England born political activist, theorist, philosopher and revolutionary. He was an influential writer of essays and pamphlets. His works included â€Å"The Age of Reason, â€Å"Rights of Man† and the widely known and well accepted â€Å"Common Sense†. He is one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and had a major influence on the American Revolution by helping shape many of the ideas that marked the Age of Revolution. His extremely popular Common Sense pamphlet (which I will be discussing in this essay) was the first pamphlet to advocate for American Independence. Common Sense is the best-selling book in American history, a statistic that speaks to the power that the book held. Paine wrote Common Sense due to the ongoing†¦show more content†¦Paine says the monarchy is granted far too much power and does not offer a reasonable system of checks and balances, although it claims it does. He emphasizes how the sole purpose of government is to protect its citizens, protect life, liberty, and property and that government should be judged solely on what it actually accomplishes. Paine also discusses his problem with hereditary succession, saying it’s an â€Å"abominable practice†. Paine believes hereditary succession has brought with it innumerable evils such as corruption and civil war. Paine proposes a representative democracy that will provide equal power for all colonies. Paine’s writing was brought upon by an already upheaved political environment. The war for American Independence is believed to start from the French and Indian war of 1763, with the British winning the war. Although Britain won this war it burdened the American colonies as British began to impose harsh taxes and rules. These taxes and rules were repealed later on in 1770. In 1774, the British Parliament passed harsh laws as a result of the Boston Tea Party and other protest; this act was Britain’s way of reasserting their control over the American colony. Furthermore, in 1975, a battle erupted at Lexington and Concord, the Americans wonShow MoreRelatedAn Unsung Hero in the Story of Americas Independence1133 Words   |  5 PagesStory of America’s Independence Thomas Paine was a political philosopher, a solider, an abolitionist, and one of the most significant supporters of the American war for independence. Thomas Paine is most notably recognized for his pamphlet, Common Sense, which he wrote during the early stages of the American Revolution as a call to the colonists to join together and support the fight for independence. 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