Thomas Paine :: essays research papers

Thomas PaineIn September of 1776, on the outskirts of Newark, among the tired,discouraged, soldiers, as they paused from their day by day retreat, sat Thomas Paine.He wrote many papers that would have a major effect on the outcome of the questfor independence. Born the son of a Quaker Laymaker on January 29th, 1737 atThetford, Norfolk England. He received a basic elementary education, and startedto work for his father as an apprentice, and later as an excise officer. He wasnot a huge success at either, and was in fact fired twice from the job as anexcise officer. When he arrived in Philadelphia on November 30th 1774,he was sick and feverish, and had to be carried on a stretcher. With a letter ofrecommendation from Ben Franklin, he was accepted into a hospital and given peculiar(a) care, until he recovered. With that same letter from Ben Franklin, hefound many doors opened for him, including jobs tutoring many of the sons of thewealthiest men in Philadelphia.Paine started over again , by publishing African slavery In America, inthe spring of 1775, in which he criticized slavery in America as being unjustand inhumane. At about this same time, he became the co-editor for thePennsylvania Magazine. When he arrived in Philadelphia, Paine noticed thetension, and the rebellious attitude, that was continually getting larger, afterthe Boston Tea Party.In Paines opinion, the Colonies had all the right to revolt against agovernment that imposed taxes on them, and which did not give them the right ofrepresentation in the Parliament at Westminster. Then he went one massive lookfurther, he decided there was no reason for the Colonies to stay dependent onEngland. He published his opinions in the American independence pamphlet greensSense.In Common Sense Paine states that sooner or later Independence fromEngland must come, because America had lost touch with the mother country. Hefelt that the office of government in society was to only be a regulator, andthus pretty simpl e. His strong beliefs made him a major influence on the annunciation Of Independence. He joined global Washington in his battle against General Howe in theWar of Independence. Where he motivated many downhearted soldiers who neededreassurance. The retreating of General Washingtons army was a slow, dailyaffair. Being an Englishman himself, Paine knew that the British enemy, wouldnot take the radical Army seriously and was familiar with tactics of theEnglish Army, and could advise the Revolutionary Army of what was to be expected.The English were polite in the way that they did not attack at night.