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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 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>

'''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 [[evil]]s of having a king in clear, everyday language. In terms of percentage sales, ''Common Sense'' was 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.