Changes

'''Thomas Paine''' (Thetford, England, 1737 - New York City, 1809) was a [[political]] and [[religious]] writer born in Thetford, [[England]], who came to [[America]] in 1774.  His pamphlet ''"Common Sense"'' in 1776 was a major cause of the American decision to [[Declaration of Independence|declare independence]] in July 1776. It explained [[republicanism]] and the evils of having a king in very clear language. Selling over 100,000 copies and read aloud in taverns and churches, it reached most of the attentive public in all 13 colonies.   

'''Thomas Paine''' (Thetford, England, 1737 - New York City, 1809) was a [[political]] and [[religious]] writer born in Thetford, [[England]], who came to [[America]] in 1774.  His pamphlet ''"Common Sense"'' in 1776 was a major cause of the American decision to [[Declaration of Independence|declare independence]] in July 1776. It explained [[republicanism]] and the evils of having a king in very clear language. Selling over 100,000 copies and read aloud in taverns and churches, it reached most of the attentive public in all 13 colonies.   

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).

<blockquote>

<blockquote>

* ''[[The Crisis]]'' - a series of articles published 1776-77 during the American Revolution<ref>http://www.ushistory.org/paine/crisis/index.htm</ref>

* ''[[The Crisis]]'' - a series of articles published 1776-77 during the American Revolution<ref>http://www.ushistory.org/paine/crisis/index.htm</ref>

* ''[[The Rights of Man]]'' - published in 1792 in support of the French Revolution<ref>http://www.ushistory.org/paine/rights/index.htm</ref>

* ''[[The Rights of Man]]'' - published in 1792 in support of the French Revolution<ref>http://www.ushistory.org/paine/rights/index.htm</ref>

* ''[[The Age of Reason]]'' -  published in three parts (1794, 1795 and 1807), an anti-religious text<ref>http://www.ushistory.org/paine/reason/index.htm</ref>

* ''[[The Age of Reason]]'' -  published in three parts (1794, 1795 and 1807), an anti-religious text<ref>http://www.ushistory.org/paine/reason/index.htm</ref>