The Enlightenment Influence On Thomas Paine's Common Sense

(Group 1, Question A)
Fania 1
The Enlightenment period was a movement that “stressed the belief that science and logic give people more knowledge and understanding than tradition and religion” (Enlightenment).
The authority of reason became more valued than the authority of the church or absolute monarch. Enlightenment thinking influenced Thomas Paine’s Common Sense because in the pamphlet Paine uses reasoning as a guideline as to why America needs to be separated from the
British monarchy. Paine truly believed it was a false statement in that since “America [had] flourished under [the] connection with Great Britain, that same connection is necessary towards
[its] future” success (Paine). Paine compares America’s past success and future success, to that of that “because a child has

Abigail Adams uses a similar argumentative argument in asking her husband, Founding Father, John Adams, to give women rights. Adams mentions how if “attention is not [given] to the Laidies, [they are bound] to foment a Rebelion” and how “all Men would [act as] tyrants” (Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams). The Declaration of Independence refers to King as a “tyrant” and that makes him unfit to rule “free people” (The Declaration of Independence). The passion in his voice is what makes the British monarch know they have trouble in their hands. Adams begs of her spouse to be “more generous and favourable to [women] than [his] ancestors” (Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams). Abigail Adams wants her husband to be tier than those in the past, and those in past were men like the King of England. Adam’s work is trying to make history and to better the new America; similar to how Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence is trying to make a better America, one that sees “all men [as] created equal” (The Declaration of Independence). (Group 4)
The 13th Amendment is the important part of the Constitution that has the greatest