Thomas Paine's Common Sense Thomas Term Paper

Moreover Thomas made people realize that kings are the cause of all wars with his evidence from the Bible:

In the early ages of the world, according to the scripture chronology, there were no kings; the consequence of which was there were no wars; it is the pride of kings which throw mankind into confusion." (Thomas Paine)

Thomas was an expert in reaching down to the souls of common man and with his knowledge about the deepest desires of the Americans he was able to stir up emotions and the desire in them to have a land of their own - to gain their independence. Thomas stated poetically to the people of America to "bring the doctrine of reconciliation to the touchstone of nature, and then tell me, whether you can hereafter love, honor, and faithfully serve the power that hath carried fire and sword into your land?" (Thomas Paine)

And to those who had suffered from the hands of the British and still wanted to reconcile rather than fight for their independence, Thomas said that they were "unworthy the name of husband, father, friend, or lover, and whatever may be your rank or title in life, you have the heart of a coward, and the spirit of a sycophant." (Thomas Paine)

The Declaration of Independence on the other hand is nothing close to being a revolutionary document as compared to Common Sense.It is simply a straight forward declaration that can never serve to stir up the emotions of our youth today whereas Common Sense can give rise to patriotic love in the hearts of our generations to come. "Common Sense created a new level of American idealism, which six months later went into the Declaration of Independence" (Frank Smith, p.26). Therefore I believe that Common Sense and Thomas Paine should receive the credit they deserve and it is this Tom that the Americans should recall and remember. Had it not been for him, the Americans would have suffered gravely as the Declaration of Independence testifies that the British had forced the captured Americans to "become the Executioners of their Friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands" (Declaration of Independence).

References

1) Anonymous - Article Title: Tom Paine's Place in History. Magazine Title: The Wilson Quarterly. Volume: 19. Issue: 3. Publication Date: Summer 1995. Page Number: 129.

2) Thomas Paine - Book Title: Common Sense. [Online Website] Available at http://earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestones/commonsense/text.html[Accessed on: 15/9/2005]

3) Frank Smith - Book Title: Thomas Paine: Liberator. Publisher: Frederick A. Stokes. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 1938. Page Number: 26.

4) Declaration of Independence [online website] Available at http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/[Accessed on: 15/9/2005].....