Thomas Paine: Common Sense and Later Life

 

        Thomas Paine first gained international notoriety for his anonymously written pamphlet, Common Sense. Common Sense compelled America to break away from the grasp of Britain posthaste. The pamphlet became enormously popular in the colonies as well as Britain, selling nearly half a million copies. Because of its immense popularity, Paine was not able to keep his identity as its author a secret for very long. Portraying the acquiring of American independence as a moral obligation, Paine's work kindled a fire of revolution within the hearts of the colonists. Paine joined the army and served as a military assistant in several battles of the Revolutionary War. He also wrote a series of sixteen pamphlets entitled The American Crisis. The first pamphlet of the series, "These are the times that try men's souls," was used to encourage and lift the spirits of the Revolutionary Army.

        Though Paine was appointed to several political positions as a reward for the impact his writing had on the American Revolution, he turned out to be a little too openly crooked to hold these offices for very long. He returned to England in 1787 to request the funds needed to build an iron bridge, but he was denied. Paine's second most notable work, Rights of Man, he completed in 1792 while still in England. This work was Paine's fervent denouncement of the British traditional monarchy, which earned him a charge of treason. He then escaped to France where he was granted citizenship. Though Paine was an acclaimed spokesman for the French Revolution, he was incarcerated for making an objection to the execution of Louis XVI. James Monroe, the American ambassador, came to the rescue and sent him safely back to America.

        Paine lived out his final years in New York, a poor, miserable man. His Age of Reason, written in 1794, had caused him to fall out of favor with the public. This work was seen as a condemnation of Christian beliefs and even brought the disapproval of George Washington. Paine had become either behind or ahead of his time, as his work took the form of American Romanticism. Paine died in 1809 and was laid to rest on his farm in New Rochelle, New York.  The location of his remains are now unknown.

Works Cited

 

 

        "Thomas Paine." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: Norton, 2003. 704-05. Print.

 

        "Thomas Paine's Common Sense." Earlyamerica.com. Archiving Early America, n.d. Web. 27 Sep. 2012.

 

        -Holly James



Early Life of Thomas Paine

    

                Thomas was born on January 27, 1737, in Thetford, England.  Though Paine was highly intelligent, he realized at a very young age that he was limited by poverty and social class.  Born to a Quaker father and Anglican mother, Paine was eight years old when he first realized the mercilessness of religion, which caused him to rebel for the rest of his life. Though Paine did not come to America until age thirty-seven, he became an extremely influential figure in promoting the cause for independence and served as a voice for the common man.

                Thomas Paine attended grammar school until age thirteen, when his father was forced to make Thomas apprentice to his trade of corset-making. Paine found this unacceptable and ran away to go to sea at age nineteen. Shortly after, Paine returned to his father’s business, but not for very long. Paine was a tobacconist, a grocer, and a teacher before he settled in Lewes in 1768 as an exciseman. His first wife died in 1760, before their first wedding anniversary. He remarried in 1771, but was legally separated by 1774. Neither of his wives bore him children.

                In Lewes, Paine immersed himself in public affairs and wrote The Case of the Officers of Excise.  He was overly committed to campaigning in London for the organization of and higher salaries for excisemen. His integrity often came into question during his time as an exciseman, which haunted him for the rest of his life.  Paine met Benjamin Franklin in London and, despite scandalous allegations concerning Paine, Franklin realized that Paine was exceedingly brilliant and was much like himself in many ways. In October 1774, Franklin helped Paine emigrate to America.

                Paine established himself as a journalist in Philadelphia. He wrote multiple articles for the Pennsylvania Magazine on various subjects, and, on January 10, 1776, wrote his most famous work.  Common Sense was the very first pamphlet published in America that insisted the nation declare independence without delay. It may have been a short pamphlet, but Common Sense had an enormous impact on Americans and gained Paine fame as a revolutionary propagandist for the rebel cause.

 

Works Cited

       Kreis, Steven. "Thomas Paine, 1737-1809." Historyguide.org. The History Guide, 11 Oct. 2006. Web. 27 Sep. 2012.

       "Thomas Paine." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: Norton, 2003. 704-05. Print.

        -Holly James

Benjamin Franklin: The later years

After running away from his life in Boston in 1723, Benjamin Franklin wandered from place to place until he finally ended up in Philadelphia. Although most of Franklin’s fame comes from when he is in Philadelphia, he is not immediately the star inventor and writer.  Much like today, “runaways did not fit in anywhere” (“A Quick Biography of Ben Franklin”). Franklin finally found work as an apprentice printer, but was stalled in his desires to own his own shop when he was sent to London to work a press. Upon returning to Philadelphia, Franklin fathered a child, William, though “the mother of William is not known” (“A Quick Biography of Ben Franklin”). After this, Franklin finally settled down with Deborah Read. To make ends meet, Franklin began to run the print shop and a book shop while his wife sold any possible product from her own store. It is after settling into this stage of his life that Franklin began to turn into the man that he is famous for being today. After buying the Pennsylvania Gazette, “the side of Franklin devoted to public good started to show itself” (“A Quick Biography of Ben Franklin”). Franklin began to rise in popularity from the newspaper and he only escalated from there. Franklin’s contributions to society included inventing such things as bifocals, electricity, lightening rod, Franklin Stove, flexible urinary catheter, and the odometer. It was not until 1757 that Franklin’s career in politics really began to take off. It was then that Franklin was sent to “represent Pennsylvania in its fight with the descendants of the Penn family over who should represent the Colony” (“A Quick Biography of Ben Franklin”). This trip almost changed the course of America as Franklin “had thoughts of staying there permanently” (“A Quick Biography of Ben Franklin”). It was not until the “Hutchinson Affair” that Franklin knew that his loyalty was with the Americans. The “Hutchinson Affair” occurred when Thomas Hutchinson, a man who seemed to represent Massachusetts while really working for the king, “called for "an abridgment of what are called English Liberties" in America” (“A Quick Biography of Ben Franklin”). When Franklin caught wind of this, he immediately sent these to the colonies and began to fight for independence upon returning to his home of Pennsylvania. It was then that Franklin began to work for the independence now seen in America and became the political figure known today.

Works Cited

 “A Quick Biography of Ben Franklin.” The Electric Ben Franklin. Ushistory.org. Web. 17 Sep. 2012

Gura, Phillip F. "American Literature 1700-1820." The Norton Anthology American Literature: Beginnings to 1820 Volume A. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: Norton, 2012. 455. Print.

The Young Ben Franklin

Benjamin Franklin, born in 1706, grew up to be one of the most well-known figures in American history. Even from a young age, children know him as the man who put a key on a kite and created electricity. Although his inventions cannot go unnoticed, his writings have also influenced the way the world has progressed; however, he was not always the man we know today. A young man growing up in Puritanical Boston, his father, like many other fathers of the time, “enrolled him in Boston Grammar School as preparation for the study of the ministry” (Gura 455). This dream was never fulfilled as Franklin was forced to go work and help his father. The fact that Franklin stayed out of the ministry separates him from influential American authors that came before him.  Unlike so many of these writers, Franklin was not completely devoted to the church as the others, most of whom were ministers or clergymen within the churches. Although he could not continue his formal education, Franklin was able to continue to learning when he went to apprentice with his older brother, James, and at a printing press. Being 12, Franklin’s responsibilities were limited but he would help his brother and “sell their products in the streets” (“A Quick Biography of Ben Franklin”). When he was 15, Franklin’s desire to write began to take over. Although his brother would never allow him to publish in his newspaper, Franklin found a way around this. Writing his articles under the name Silence Dogood, Franklin would sneak his pieces into the shop to be printed the next day. Immediately a hit, “Dogood was filled with advice and very critical of the world around her, particularly concerning the issue of how women were treated” (“A Quick Biography of Ben Franklin”). When Franklin admitted to writing the letters, his brother was less than pleased. When James was later put into jail, Franklin displeased his brother more by keeping his paper running while he was unable to. Upon his release, James showed his displeasure by “harassing his younger brother and administering beatings from time to time” (“A Quick Biography of Ben Franklin”). It was then that Franklin decided that he needed to be on his own. In 1723, Franklin left behind his family and began to transform into the influential man he would soon be known as.

Works Cited

“A Quick Biography of Ben Franklin.” The Electric Ben Franklin. Ushistory.org. Web. 17 Sep. 2012

Gura, Phillip F. "American Literature 1700-1820." The Norton Anthology American Literature:Beginnings to 1820 Volume A. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: Norton, 2012. 455. Print.

Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards was born on October 5, 1703 in East Windsor, Connecticut. The proud parents were  Reverend Timothy Edwards and Esther Stoddard Edwards. Jonathan Edwards was the fifth of eleven children, but he was the only boy. Reverend Solomon Stoddard was Jonathan Edward's maternal grandfather. Reverend Stoddard was "one of the most influential and independent figures in the religious life of New England" (Gura 396). Edwards started going to Yale a little before he turned thirteen, and graduated four years later as valedictorian. In 1727, Edwards married Sarah Pierpoint and they had eleven children. Edwards and his family moved to Northampton, Massachusetts so that he could assist his grandfather. When Reverend Stoddard died in 1729, Jonathan Edwards took over. Edwards has become the minister most associated with The Great Awakening. His most famous sermon was "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". It scared many people into completely changing their lives. "A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God" described the awakening in Edwards' church, and it gained him international fame during the First Great Awakening. On June 22, 1750 he was dismissed from the church because he tried to raise the standards for church membership and communion, and because he began calling people out from the pulpit. Edwards was voted out by a vote of two hundred to twenty. After he was voted out, he served as a missionary in Stockbridge, Massachusetts for seven years. Edwards made it his mission to spread the word of God to the Housatonic Indians. While in Stockbridge, Edwards still had the chance to minister to the English sometimes. At the end of 1757, Jonathan Edwards got called to become the president of College of New Jersey, which is now Princeton. On March 22, 1758, Edwards died after only three months of presidency. A smallpox inoculation gone wrong ended the ministers life. Jonathan Edwards was buried in Princeton Cemetery. 

Works Cited

Gura, Phillip F. "Jonathan Edwards." The Norton Anthology American                        Literature: Beginnings to 1820 Volume A. Ed. Nina Baym. New                               York: Norton, 2012. 396-398. Print.

Stout, Harry S., ed. "Jonathan Edwards: Biography." The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University.Jonathan Edwards Center, 2011. Web. 20 Sep 2012. http://edwards.yale.edu/research/aboutedwards/biography

-Tori Cochran

The Enlightenment Period

The eighteenth century was a time of many economic, social, philosophical, and scientific changes. Many great inventions came about during this time span including the piano, the first mercury thermometer, and the lightening rod (Bellis). Many of these inventions came about because "many intellectuals now believed in the power of the human mind to comprehend the universe as never before" (Gura 365). These beliefs led to what is now known as the Enlightenment, or the Age of Reason. During the Enlightenment, people "defined their highest duties in social rather than in spiritual terms" (Gura 367). The population in the colonies increased by nearly 1,500,000 people from 1670-1760, and the amount of settled land tripled. Many people believe that this population increase justifies the increase in the amount of diverse opinions pertaining to religious and political life in the eighteenth century (Gura 366). The first part of the Enlightenment dealt mostly with religion. There were many religious revivals in America as well as England, which led to the "Great Awakening" in the colonies in the middle of the century. During this time, preachers such as George Whitefield used emotion to bring people to the altar. The second part of the Enlightenment dealt mainly with politics. Although more women began publishing literary works, most of them did so under a feminine pen name to remain somewhat anonymous (Gura 373). Women were still fighting for equality but towards the end of the eighteenth century a movement for women to be educated like men had started to gain strength (Gura 374). In January of 1776, Thomas Paine's pamphlet, Common Sense, was published in the colonies "to urge immediate independence from Britain" (Gura 640). On July 4, 1776, the colonies issued the Declaration of Independence, and in 1789 George Washington was elected as the first president. The Enlightenment was not only a period of many changes for America, but it was also a huge step for the future of the United States.

                    Works Cited
Bellis, Mary. "18th Century Timeline." About.com. The New York Times          Company. Web. 12 Sep. 2012


Gura, Phillip F. "American Literature 1700-1820." The Norton Anthology       American Literature: Beginnings to 1820 Volume A. Ed. Nina                 Baym. New York: Norton, 2012. 365-949. Print.


- Tori Cochran