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In an ironic twist, colonists who were once filled with British pride were now consumed with American patriotism. When Americans realized they were never to be thought of as equals to Englishmen, they resolved to find that sense of equality among themselves; while concurrently denying such liberties to those who were deemed inferior. Such men as John and Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry courageously paved the path to freedom for white men in the colonies. Arguably, the man most instrumental in the movement towards independence, and perhaps the forgotten Founding Father, was Thomas Paine.
[[File:commonsense.jpg|thumbnail|300px|Cover of the pamphlet, ''Common Sense.'']]
An Englishman born in 1737, Paine arrived in Philadelphia on November 30, 1774 at the urging of Benjamin Franklin. Paine defined the origin of government as “a mode rendered necessary by the inability of moral virtue to govern the world.”<ref>Thomas Paine, “Common Sense,” 1776, in ''Common Sense, Rights of Man, and Other Essential Writings of Thomas Paine'' (New York: Signet, 2003), 7.</ref>He believed governmental representation was a right for every citizen and wrote his pamphlet, ''Common Sense'', in a language accessible to all. Through Paine’s words, poor white citizens were able to envision a role in the electoral process and a voice in legislature. For generations these people were seen as intellectually inferior to the gentry class and were therefore deemed unworthy of consideration. Although far less educated than the elites, the lower classes were not necessarily less intelligent. Their grasp of politics and understanding of freedom was recognized by Thomas Paine.
Paine’s language and call for a new form of government struck a chord with common men and invoked a sense of purpose among small farmers and poor whites. His words instilled ideas in average citizens and brought to light notions held within this group that had lain dormant in their hearts and minds. Public discussions took place among commoners regarding politics and social change. People envisioned a future in which their wishes were considered. The generals and diplomats may have been gentry but the men fighting and dying were common farmers.
== Paine's Influence ==
One reason ''Common Sense'' was such an influential piece was because it was written in a manner understandable by all. Most subsistence farmers of the time did not have an education conducive to understanding the essence of someone such as philosopher John Locke. Paine used a common language in order to appeal to people in all levels of society. By doing so, he discredited the notion that poor farmers and others of the lower classes had no choice but to abide by any law put forth by a distant government. Individually they did not, but when Paine erased the sense of isolation prevalent throughout the rural communities, he did in fact enlighten those citizens, which in turn elicited their response to revoke tacit consent.
A second reason for the success of Paine’s work is that his words appealed to the overwhelmingly Protestant audience which comprised the citizenship of the colonies. Well aware of his audience, Paine expressly employed biblical rhetoric to convey to the colonists that God is the only king and that it angers Him to be aware of anyone else in His role. Paine selected biblical quotations that indicate it is wrong, and even blasphemous to give a man the title of “king”, which suggests God can be replaced. By quoting and alluding to scripture early in his argument, Paine captured his audience. Through his use of history, religion, and sheer logic, Thomas Paine presented a very convincing argument that a monarchy is a blasphemous and oppressive form of government from which liberty for the common man could never be realized. He assured his readers that they were more worthy of God’s gifts than a greedy tyrant and that God did indeed create everyone equally. This of course is the premise upon which the Declaration of Independence is based.
Paine made a plea to potential patriots by confidently stating that “The nearer any government approaches to a republic the less business there is for a king.”<ref>Paine, 20.</ref>Once Paine instilled this thought in the reader, he continued to raise the fear that without a republic “slavery ensues.”<ref>Paine, 21.</ref>This was an especially powerful notion as Parliament was levying taxes at a rapid pace and without some form of legislative representation, farmers, trappers, and shippers were certain to have their livelihoods threatened, if not completely eradicated. It can therefore be argued that the combination of England’s taxation policies and the release of ''Common Sense'', worked in concert to create one cohesive nation rather than thirteen loosely joined colonies.
== Conclusion ==
In the introduction to ''Common Sense'', Paine declares “a long habit of not thinking a thing ''wrong'', gives it a superficial appearance of being ''right''.”<ref>Paine,3.</ref>This simple sentence opened the minds of common citizens to the possibilities of a less oppressive future in an egalitarian society for white men. Thomas Paine anonymously unleashed the buried patriot spirit of average American colonists. While Parliament was implementing strict tax laws and occupying the American continent, Thomas Paine was transforming the lives and attitudes of its inhabitants. England created an atmosphere of future subservience among the colonists, while Thomas Paine reached out to these same people and through his inspired words, fomented a revolution.
==References==
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[[Category:Wikis]] [[Category:American Revolution]] [[Category:U.S. History]]
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