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[[image:Thomaspaine.jpeg|200px|thumb|Engraving of Thomas Paine]]

[[image:Thomaspaine.jpeg|200px|thumb|Engraving of Thomas Paine]]

'''Thomas Paine''' (Thetford, England, 1737 - New York City, 1809) was primarily a [[political]] writer born in Thetford, [[England]], who came to [[America]] in 1774.  His 1776 pamphlet ''[[Common Sense]]'' was a major cause of the American decision to [[Declaration of Independence|declare independence]] on July 2nd. It explained [[republicanism]] and the evils of having a king in very clear language. In terms of percentage sales, ''Common Sense'' is second to only the [[Bible]]: ''Common Sense'' had sales of 500,000 in colonial America where the total population was only 2.5 million,<ref>http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/2013/01/thomas-paine-the-original-publishing-viral-superstar/</ref> and was also read aloud in taverns and churches.  Thomas Paine was a lifelong, staunch defender of freedom of religion. However, in his book Rights of Man, he also criticized the concept of the [[Bill of Rights]], calling it a "bill of wrongs and insults" and has also expressed favor of a [[progressive tax]] system.<ref>http://www.imagining-other.net/pp11burkeandpaine.htm</ref>

'''Thomas Paine''' (Thetford, England, 1737 - New York City, 1809) was primarily a [[political]] writer born in Thetford, [[England]], who came to [[America]] in 1774.  His 1776 pamphlet ''[[Common Sense]]'' was a major cause of the American decision to [[Declaration of Independence|declare independence]] on July 4th. It explained [[republicanism]] and the evils of having a king in very clear language. In terms of percentage sales, ''Common Sense'' is second to only the [[Bible]]: ''Common Sense'' had sales of 500,000 in colonial America where the total population was only 2.5 million,<ref>http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/2013/01/thomas-paine-the-original-publishing-viral-superstar/</ref> and was also read aloud in taverns and churches.  Thomas Paine was a lifelong, staunch defender of freedom of religion. However, in his book Rights of Man, he also criticized the concept of the [[Bill of Rights]], calling it a "bill of wrongs and insults" and has also expressed favor of a [[progressive tax]] system.<ref>http://www.imagining-other.net/pp11burkeandpaine.htm</ref>

[[Phyllis Schlafly]], the leader of the grassroots movement that defeated the [[Equal Rights Amendment]] and made the [[Republican Party]] [[pro-life]], greatly admired Thomas Paine for his effectiveness in educating and mobilizing the people through his political writing.

[[Phyllis Schlafly]], the leader of the grassroots movement that defeated the [[Equal Rights Amendment]] and made the [[Republican Party]] [[pro-life]], greatly admired Thomas Paine for his effectiveness in educating and mobilizing the people through his political writing.

==Effect==

==Effect==

Late in 1776 when the war was going poorly for the Patriots, General [[George Washington]] ordered that Paine's inspirational ''"American Crisis"'' (1776) be read to his troops before the Battle of Trenton. Paine supported the Revolution, although he believed it did not go far enough.  He briefly lived in the rebelling colonies before returning to Europe in time to take part in the [[French Revolution]]. There he wrote ''"The Rights of Man"'' (1791).

Late in 1776 when the war was going poorly for the Patriots, General [[George Washington]] ordered that Paine's inspirational ''"American Crisis"'' (1776) be read to his troops before the Battle of Trenton. Paine supported the Revolution, although he believed it did not go far enough.  He briefly lived in the rebelling colonies before returning to Europe in time to take part in the [[French Revolution]]. There he wrote ''"The Rights of Man"'' (1791).