Thomas Paine

1
Thomas Paine

• (1737-1809)

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Thomas Paine

• Was born in Thetford, England, on January 29,
  1737
• Had failed out of school by age 12.
• Began apprenticing for his father, a corset
  maker, but again, he failed.
• Age 19, went to sea
• This adventure didn't last too long

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Thomas Paine

• By 1768 found himself as an excise (tax) officer
  in England.
• Discharged from his post twice in four years
• Published The Case of the Officers of Excise
  (1772), arguing for a pay raise for officers.
• Forerunner of things to come
• In 1774, met Benjamin Franklin in London, who
  helped him emigrate to Philadelphia.

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Thomas Paine

• Came to America in 1774 at the age of 37.
• Became an editor in Philadelphia just as the
  force of the resistance movement gained national
  focus.
• Wrote newspaper articles on abolition, women's
  rights, dueling, titles, and the freedom of
  British India before he wrote on the American
  Revolution.

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Thomas Paine

• Of all the writers of the American Revolution, he
  was the least American in background, in spirit,
  and in purpose.
• His cause was not America it was revolution.

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Thomas Paine

• He wrote with urgency, excitement, and bold
  simplicity.
• He furnished straightforward, uncomplicated
  guidance for artisans, mechanics, and farmers.
• He carried the new philosophy to the masses of
  the American people, and turned the resistance
  movement into revolt.

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Thomas Paine

• In Jan. 1776 published Common Sense, an extremely
  popular and successful pamphlet arguing for
  Independence from England.
• transformed the terms of political debate

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Thomas Paine

• The Crisis is a collection of articles written
  during the American Revolutionary War.
• Constitute Paine's ongoing support for an
  independent and self-governing America through
  the many severe crises of the Revolutionary War.
• General Washington found the first essay so
  inspiring, he ordered that it be read to the
  troops at Valley Forge.

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Thomas Paine

• Returned to Europe and pursued other ventures
  instead of participating in the revolution.
• In 1791-92, he wrote The Rights of Man in
  response to criticism of the French Revolution.
• caused him to be labeled an outlaw in England for
  his anti-monarchist views.
• would have been arrested, but he fled for France
  to join the National Convention.

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Thomas Paine

• By 1793, he was imprisoned in France for not
  endorsing the execution of Louis XVI.
• During his imprisonment, he wrote and distributed
  the first part of what was to become his most
  famous work at the time, The Age of Reason
  (1794-96).
• He was freed in 1794 (narrowly escaping
  execution) thanks to the efforts of James Monroe,
  then U.S. Minister to France.

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Thomas Paine

• Remained in France until 1802 when he returned to
  America on an invitation from Thomas Jefferson.
• Discovered that his contributions to the American
  Revolution had been all but eradicated due to his
  religious views.
• Derided by the public and abandoned by his
  friends for his anti-religious Age of Reason
• Died on June 8, 1809 at the age of 72 in New York
  City.