Thomas Paine it Is Difficult to Think

Thomas Paine

It is difficult to think of the founding of the United States without calling to mind Thomas Paine. Paine's "Common Sense" and "Age of Reason" have become not only part of American history, but part of classic American literature.

In "Common Sense," Paine wrote, "The new republican materials, in the persons of the commons, on whose virtue depends the freedom of England" (Paine pg). Paine is perhaps the least revered and celebrated of all the founding fathers, but, perhaps, one of the most patriotic and influential.

Thomas Paine was born January 29, 1737 in Thetford, Norfolk, England. His mother was Anglican, his father was Quaker. The family was poor, and Paine had only a brief education before going to work for his father, and went to sea at age nineteen. Later, he had various jobs, and eventually became an excise officer, collecting taxes from smugglers (Encarta pg). In 1772, he was dismissed for "publishing a document calling for an increase in wages as a means of reducing corruption in government service" (Encarta pg). While in London in 1774, Paine met Benjamin Franklin, a representative of the American colonies. Franklin advised Paine to go to America (Encarta pg).

With letters of introduction from Franklin, Paine landed in Philadelphia in 1774. He soon became an editor for the Pennsylvania Magazine. He also published writings, including poetry, anonymously. One such article was "African Slavery in America," condemning the practice of slavery (Encarta pg). Paine's most famous work, his fifty page pamphlet called "Common Sense," was published January 10, 1776.

Paine criticized the monarchy as an institution, claiming Great Britain was exploiting the American colonies, and that 'common sense' prescribed the colonies should become independent and establish their own republican government (Encarta pg). This small pamphlet sold more than 500,000 copies, while encouraging comments such as 'The birthday of a new world is at hand' (Encarta pg). Six months later came the Declaration of Independence.

During the American Revolution, Paine served in the army for a short time under General Nathanael Greene. Between 1776-1783, Paine wrote a series of pamphlets called "The American Crisis" (Encarta pg). These pamphlets were words of inspiration for those in battle, including the famous line, "These are the times that try men's souls" (Encarta pg). So inspiring were Paine's words that George Washington ordered the pamphlets read to his troops, to give them hope to endure. The Second Continental Congress of 1777 appointed Paine as secretary of the Committee of Foreign Affairs. In early 1779, he lost the position due to a political dispute, and "remained unemployed until November when he became clerk of the Pennsylvania legislature (Encarta pg). Despite his own financial difficulties, Paine established a fund for needy soldiers, so great was his concern for the hardships of the American troops (Encarta pg). He himself applied to Congress for financial aide, however, political opponents barred any assistance. However, he did receive aide from Pennsylvania and New York gave him a farm in New Rochelle (Encarta pg).

In 1787, Paine went back to Great Britain. In 1791-1792, he published "Rights of Man" in two parts, the most famous of "all replies to the condemnatory 'Reflections Upon the French Revolution' by the British statesman Edmund Burke" (Encarta pg). This work also analyzes the weaknesses of European society, "proposing such remedies as republican government and progressive income taxes" (Encarta pg). Before the book was suppressed, it sold more than a million and a half copies. "Paine's criticism of monarchical rule in 'Rights of Man' caused an uproar in England and led the British government to charge Paine with seditious libel. He was tried in absentia while en route to France in December 1792" (Encarta pg).

Paine was elected to the National Convention, generally voting with the moderate faction. However, when he favored exile over execution for King Louis XVI, Paine "offended Maximilien de Robespierre, the leader of the radial faction, and was imprisoned from December 1793 until November 1794, three months after Robespierre's downfall...then regained his National Convention seat" (Encarta pg). While Paine was still in prison, Part I of his "The Age of Reason" was published. Part II was published in 1795 and Part III in 1807 (Encarta pg).

Although, Paine was a spiritual man and only opposed organized religion, much of his writing was viewed as promoting atheism. This misinterpretation gave Paine the reputation of being an atheist and led to the loss of many old friends (Encarta pg). With the help of President Thomas Jefferson, Paine returned to the United States in 1802. Upon arrival, he found that the majority of Americans held the same negative opinion of him (Encarta pg). He was seen as a great infidel and basically forgotten or ignored for his contribution to the founding of the United States. Paine continued to write essays against the Federalists and religious superstition (Biography pg). Paine died in New York City on June 8, 1809. Newspapers read, "He had lived long, did some good and much harm" (Biography pg). This epitaph proved to be unworthy. Paine was buried on his New Rochelle farm, however, "ten years later journalist William Cobbett moved his remains to England; they were subsequently lost" (Biography pg).