in 1776, in “common sense” paine argued that it was time for the american colonies to secede...
TRANSCRIPT
In 1776, In “Common Sense” Paine argued that it was time for the American colonies to secede from Britain and form an independent nation.
The pamphlet was widely distributed and convinced many colonists that it was indeed time to form a new nation.
It contained rational and straightforward arguments that they could understand and arguably was the fuse that led to the creation of the United States of America
Over ½ million copies were sold to a population of ca 2½ million of which ½ million were slaves!
Unfortunately, Paine could not convince the Americans that they should renounce the biblical institution of human slavery
Unfortunately, Paine could not convince the Americans that they should renounce the biblical institution of human slavery
It was Lincoln who had read Paine's writings as a young man, and had thus been inspired to struggle for change
A passageway in the Town of Lewes …East Sussex
by Taraya Thomas Paine, author of 'Common Sense'Two hundred thirty-six years ago today, at the dawning of a revolution, a pamphlet was published with an unassuming name: Common Sense. This publication’s passionate approach to American independence and straightforward appeals to the people clarified for many the goals of the revolution, paved the way for the Declaration of Independence, and made Common Sense one the the most influential pamphlets in American history.
Thomas Paine's famous pamphlet changed the mindset of many AmericansThe pamphlet was published anonymously due to its treasonous messages, signed only “Written by an Englishman.” It was the first American-produced work to directly appeal for freedom from “the royal brute of Britain”. Its success was enormous in comparison to the population of the colonies at the time, selling 500,000 copies in the first year alone.Common Sense argued against a monarchy, shot down John Locke’s reasoning for a constitutional monarchy, and called for a union of the colonies. Paine even proposed his own ideas for the proper way to run a government with the least amount of potential for one person to have complete control over the laws of the land.
Paine’s pamphlet massively influenced the opinions of the Americans, most of whom still regarded themselves as Britons, albeit troubled and estranged. Paine’s fervent opinion that they had escaped the clutches of a tyrannical “monster” that was still chasing them changed their thinking, causing many who were still undecided about American independence to discover where their loyalties lay and join the cause for freedom. Common Sense was a major addition to the sweeping propaganda that led the American people into a life-changing revolution.
http://spotlights.fold3.com/2012/01/09/thomas-paine-shows-his-common-sense/
Common Sense In January of 1776, a man by the name of Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet entitled Common Sense, in which he outlined the reasons that he felt it was time for the colonies to part company with Great Britain, and form their own independent nation.
Common Sense was widely distributed and read throughout the colonies, and was influential in convincing many thousands of colonists that it was indeed time to form a new united nation.
Common Sense was widely distributed and read throughout the colonies, and was influential in convincing many thousands of colonists that it was indeed time to form a new united nation.
by Taraya Thomas Paine, author of 'Common Sense'Two hundred thirty-six years ago today, at the dawning of a revolution, a pamphlet was published with an unassuming name: Common Sense. This publication’s passionate approach to American independence and straightforward appeals to the people clarified for many the goals of the revolution, paved the way for the Declaration of Independence, and made Common Sense one the the most influential pamphlets in American history.
Thomas Paine's famous pamphlet changed the mindset of many AmericansThe pamphlet was published anonymously due to its treasonous messages, signed only “Written by an Englishman.” It was the first American-produced work to directly appeal for freedom from “the royal brute of Britain”. Its success was enormous in comparison to the population of the colonies at the time, selling 500,000 copies in the first year alone.Common Sense argued against a monarchy, shot down John Locke’s reasoning for a constitutional monarchy, and called for a union of the colonies. Paine even proposed his own ideas for the proper way to run a government with the least amount of potential for one person to have complete control over the laws of the land.
Paine’s pamphlet massively influenced the opinions of the Americans, most of whom still regarded themselves as Britons, albeit troubled and estranged. Paine’s fervent opinion that they had escaped the clutches of a tyrannical “monster” that was still chasing them changed their thinking, causing many who were still undecided about American independence to discover where their loyalties lay and join the cause for freedom. Common Sense was a major addition to the sweeping propaganda that led the American people into a life-changing revolution.
Thomas Paine (1737-1809) - Paine’s writings influenced the American Revolution (1775-1783), the French Revolution (1789-1799), and free thought movements ever since;
“You will do me justice to remember that I have always supported the Right of Man to his own opinion, however different that opinion be from mine.
because he precludes himself the right of changing it”
“…He who denies to another this right makes a slave of himself to his present opinion,
Paine drew on Lewes's dissenting tradition when it came to formulating many of his own ideas. Indeed, there was no escaping it, for the town's radical past was present wherever he went, a robust tradition reaching back through time ...
Following the battle of Lewes in 1264, Simon de Montfort compelled Henry III to sign the Mise of Lewes which laid the foundation for parliamentary government in England
During Queen Mary’s persecution of Protestants in the mid sixteenth century, seventeen Protestant martyrs went to the stake in the name of their faith
During the Civil War, Lewes declared for the Commonwealth and raised a troop to fight for the Parliamentary cause.
Five centuries previously, the townspeople razed much of Lewes castle at the death of their Norman overlord, protesting that they were now free men;
Tom Paine - Champion of the Enlightenment
Q
Thomas Paine
His influence on the Enlightenment, the founding principles of the United States of America and why he is important today at
the dawn of the Dark Ages 2.0
The Enlightenment
Paine and Freethinking
Paine drew on Lewes's dissenting tradition when it came to formulating many of his own ideas. Indeed, there was no escaping it, for the town's radical past was present wherever he went, a robust tradition reaching back through time ...
Following the battle of Lewes in 1264, Simon de Montfort compelled Henry III to sign the Mise of Lewes which laid the foundation for parliamentary government in England
During Queen Mary’s persecution of Protestants in the mid sixteenth century, seventeen Protestant martyrs went to the stake in the name of their faith
The White Hart - Lewes
During the Civil War, Lewes declared for the Commonwealth and raised a troop to fight for the Parliamentary cause.
Five centuries previously, the townspeople razed much of Lewes castle at the death of their Norman overlord, protesting that they were now free men;
Occam’s RazorPaine drew on Lewes's dissenting tradition when it came to formulating many of his own ideas. Indeed, there was no escaping it, for the town's radical past was present wherever he went, a robust tradition reaching back through time ... to a time when, five centuries previously, the townspeople razed much of Lewes castle at the death of their Norman overlord, protesting that they were now free men; to a time when, following the battle of Lewes in 1264, Simon de Montfort compelled Henry III to sign the Mise of Lewes which laid the foundation for parliamentary government in England; to a time when, during the Marian persecution of the mid sixteenth century, seventeen Protestant martyrs went to the stake in the name of their faith; and, to a time when, during the Civil War, Lewes declared for the Commonwealth and raised a troop to fight for the Parliamentary cause. Of dissenting stock himself, the evidence of Lewes' contumacious past fired Paine's radicalism, for him to be presented with the Headstrong Club's Original Book of Obstinacy which included the tribute ... 'Immortal Paine while mighty reasoners jar,We crown the General of the Headstrong War,Thy logic vanquish'd error, and thy mindNo bounds but those of right and truth confined,Thy soul of fire must sure ascend the sky,Immortal Paine, thy fame can never die;For men like thee their names must ever saveFrom the black edicts of the tyrant grave.'
Thomas Paine (1737-1809) - Paine’s writings influenced the American Revolution (1775-1783), the French Revolution (1789-1799), and free thought movements ever since;
“You will do me justice to remember that I have always supported the Right of Man to his own opinion, however different that opinion be from mine.
“…He who denies to another this right makes a slave of himself to his present opinion, because he precludes himself the right of changing it”
In the preface to the remarkable book “The Age of Reason”, which he wrote in a Luxembourg prison under penalty of death during the French Revolution, Paine put in Promethian manner the argument against organized religion on the printed page for all to see.
All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.
The study of theology, as it stands in Christian churches, is the study of nothing; it is founded on nothing; it rests on nothing; it proceeds by no authorities; it has no data; it can demonstrate nothing and admits of no conclusion.
Independence is my happiness, and I view things as they are, without regard to place or person; my country is the world, and my religion is to do good.
-- Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man
Any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be a true system.
The Age of Reason,
Many philosophers at the time were agnostic or atheist but kept quiet about it. Paine was in fact a deist but thought that the supposedly “revealed” texts of Judaism, Christianity and Islam were an insult to the God of Nature and he placed freethinking on a shelf within reach of the average person
Christopher Hitchens THES June 16 2006
All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.
Any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be a true system.
The study of theology, as it stands in Christian churches, is the study of nothing; it is founded on nothing; it rests on nothing; it proceeds by no authorities; it has no data; it can demonstrate nothing and admits of no conclusion.
Thomas Paine (1737-1809)Anglo-American political philosopher, whose writings influenced the American Revolution (1775-1783), the French Revolution (1789-1799), and freethought movements ever since; but, unfortunately, Paine could not awaken the Americans to the destruction that was their love affair with the biblical institution of human slavery until after Abraham Lincoln had read Paine's writings as a young man, and had thus been duly inspired to struggle for change
Independence is my happiness, and I view things as they are, without regard to place or person; my country is the world, and my religion is to do good.-- Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man ††
With these words … he cut through the the traditional arguments in favour of censorship. It was not just the right of a person to speak that was at stake but the right of others to hear and have their own opinions challenged. At a stroke he rendered negligible the sinister insinuation that a little censorship can be good for you whether it comes in the guise of sensitivity or security.
All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.-- Thomas Paine, (1737-1809), The Age of Reason, pt. 1, "The Author's Profession of Faith" (1794), quoted from The Columbia Dictionary of QuotationsAny system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be a true system.-- Thomas Paine, as quoted by Joseph Lewis in Inspiration and Wisdom from the Writings of Thomas Paine (which contains no pagination or source citations)It is from the Bible that man has learned cruelty, rapine and murder; for the belief of a cruel God makes a cruel man.-- Thomas Paine, as quoted by Joseph Lewis in Inspiration and Wisdom from the Writings of Thomas Paine (which contains no pagination or source citations)There is scarcely any part of science, or anything in nature, which those imposters and blasphemers of science, called priests, as well Christians as Jews, have not, at some time or other, perverted, or sought to pervert to the purpose of superstition and falsehood.-- Thomas Paine, as quoted by Joseph Lewis in Inspiration and Wisdom from the Writings of Thomas Paine (which contains no pagination or source citations)The study of theology, as it stands in Christian churches, is the study of nothing; it is founded on nothing; it rests on nothing; it proceeds by no authorities; it has no data; it can demonstrate nothing and admits of no conclusion.-- Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason (1793-5), quoted from Jonathon Green, The Cassell Dictionary of Cynical Quotations
All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.-- Thomas Paine, (1737-1809), The Age of Reason, pt. 1, "The Author's Profession of Faith" (1794), quoted from The Columbia Dictionary of QuotationsAny system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be a true system.-- Thomas Paine, as quoted by Joseph Lewis in Inspiration and Wisdom from the Writings of Thomas Paine (which contains no pagination or source citations)It is from the Bible that man has learned cruelty, rapine and murder; for the belief of a cruel God makes a cruel man.-- Thomas Paine, as quoted by Joseph Lewis in Inspiration and Wisdom from the Writings of Thomas Paine (which contains no pagination or source citations)There is scarcely any part of science, or anything in nature, which those imposters and blasphemers of science, called priests, as well Christians as Jews, have not, at some time or other, perverted, or sought to pervert to the purpose of superstition and falsehood.-- Thomas Paine, as quoted by Joseph Lewis in Inspiration and Wisdom from the Writings of Thomas Paine (which contains no pagination or source citations)The study of theology, as it stands in Christian churches, is the study of nothing; it is founded on nothing; it rests on nothing; it proceeds by no authorities; it has no data; it can demonstrate nothing and admits of no conclusion.-- Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason (1793-5), quoted from Jonathon Green, The Cassell Dictionary of Cynical Quotations
All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.-- Thomas Paine, (1737-1809), The Age of Reason, pt. 1, "The Author's Profession of Faith" (1794), quoted from The Columbia Dictionary of QuotationsAny system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be a true system.-- Thomas Paine, as quoted by Joseph Lewis in Inspiration and Wisdom from the Writings of Thomas Paine (which contains no pagination or source citations)It is from the Bible that man has learned cruelty, rapine and murder; for the belief of a cruel God makes a cruel man.-- Thomas Paine, as quoted by Joseph Lewis in Inspiration and Wisdom from the Writings of Thomas Paine (which contains no pagination or source citations)There is scarcely any part of science, or anything in nature, which those imposters and blasphemers of science, called priests, as well Christians as Jews, have not, at some time or other, perverted, or sought to pervert to the purpose of superstition and falsehood.-- Thomas Paine, as quoted by Joseph Lewis in Inspiration and Wisdom from the Writings of Thomas Paine (which contains no pagination or source citations)The study of theology, as it stands in Christian churches, is the study of nothing; it is founded on nothing; it rests on nothing; it proceeds by no authorities; it has no data; it can demonstrate nothing and admits of no conclusion.-- Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason (1793-5), quoted from Jonathon Green, The Cassell Dictionary of Cynical Quotations