Founding Father, Inspirational Writer and American Revolutionary: Thomas Paine

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Thomas Paine: founding father, inspirational writer, and American revolutionary was described by R. L. Duffus as "He represents in many ways the highest idealism, the deepest faith of the eighteenth century, translated brilliantly into journalistic terms and sustained by character as unselfish as Washington's own." (“Paine, Thomas” n.p.) This statement is fitting to this man who would be a modern day journalist considering that Paine was idealistic in his best-selling pamphlet of the eighteenth century, “Common Sense”. Thomas Paine (1737-1809) was closely associated with the Enlightenment movement, which lasted throughout the 18th century and most important themes included change and reason (“Age of Enlightenment” n.p). Rationalism, secularism, tolerance, utilitarianism, self-confidence, and optimism were all sub themes of the movement that thinkers tried to apply reason and common sense to throughout institutions and daily activities (“Age of Enlightenment” n.p). Thomas Paine’s method of developing arguments and influential writing style that spoke the language of the people helped to make his forty seven page pamphlet “Common Sense” successful in inspiring the American Revolution.
Thomas Paine did not freely decide to leave England for the Colonies, in fact he was discovered by Ben Franklin who took a special interest in Paine’s enjoyment of science which was enough to win his approval (“Paine, Thomas” n.p). Franklin then sent Paine, who had no money, to America to start a life and gave him a job through a letter of recommendation that he sent to his son-in-law Richard Bache (“Paine, Thomas” n.p). Had Franklin not taken a special interest in Paine, he may have never been sent over to the colonies. Had he not been sent over t...

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...push the people over the edge of revolt as he did in 1776 or will all that America was founded on be lost?

Works Cited
"Age of Enlightenment Review." Age of Enlightenment Review. Web. 07 May 2014.

"Paine, Thomas." American Authors, 1600-1900 (1938): Biography Reference Bank (H.W. Wilson). Web. 6 May 2014.

Sherwood, Martha A. "Common Sense." Masterplots, Fourth Edition (2010): 1-3. Literary Reference Center. Web. 8 May 2014.

"Thomas Paine's Common Sense [ushistory.org]." 2008. 12 May. 2014

"Thomas Paine Quick Facts - American History Central." 2009. 12 May. 2014 http://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entry.php?rec=472&view=quick-facts

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