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Thomas Paine Personal Factor

Decent Essays

Before Thomas Paine became the author of the pamphlet Common Sense in 1776, and started a movement. Paine’s life before the colonies could be considered a failure on many accounts; one being he was unable to sustain a job and his family life was falling apart. Benjamin Franklin, one of Paine’s acquaintance, advised him to move to the Americas. Like the others this would be a fresh start for him. Right off the bat he was submerged into the world of politics as he became involved with the media, the tension between the colonies and Britain kept brewing. Common Sense by Thomas Paine, edited by Edward Larkin, emphasizes the personal and social responsibility that was needed to stand against Britain. Prior to the British, the Spanish and French …show more content…

Paine would describe it as an individual duty to their country. Americans specifically had to choose who and why they were loyal to. A King who demanded more every day and was solely looking out to benefit his kingdom or the people who were also being affected by the unjust laws that were set. Choosing to stand against the Monarchy, although it would bring them negative consequences was the first step in admitting that something was wrong with their government. How was Paine able to persuade them to see his perspective? At the time not many could read but they all had one thing in common, religion. Religion was the bases for the majority of the colonies. Each had their quirks but they all spoke about the lord and savior that would bless them. Paine uses imagery and the power of storytelling through bible stories to connect to the colonist. God’s word was above all and if Paine could relate it to government than it obviously meant something was wrong. Not only that but they themselves started to see the injustice that was placed upon them. Americans were charged a large amount of taxes for a trip that was supposed to be funded and taken care by Britain instead of helping and easing the burden of a new environment Britain takes all it can get at the cost of the

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