Thomas Paine Brief Biography
Thomas Paine was born in Thetford, England on January 29, 1737. Unremarkable in school, he began apprenticing for his father and later worked as an excise tax officer. In 1774 in London, he met Benjamin Franklin who advised Paine to immigrate to America.
Paine came to Philadelphia in 1774 and began work as a publicist. In addition to being the literary lightning rod for independence and the creation of a democratic republic, he was the only prominent figure of the American Colonial Period to also be outspokenly in favor of the abolition of slavery and women’s rights. Additionally, he supported suffrage for non-landowners and spoke out against animal cruelty and dueling.
Paine, like Franklin, integrated with the Iroquois, gaining valuable insights and inspiration from their democratic confederation. In 1776, Paine wrote his famous pamphlet Common Sense—an inspiringly provocative call for American independence and the establishment of a democratic republic. In reference to Paine, John Adams once said, “Without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain.”
During the Revolutionary War, Paine became Secretary of the Congressional Committee on Foreign Affairs and wrote the powerfully influential Crisis papers. He then returned to England and supported the French Revolution. He authored The Rights of Man, defending the French Revolution against its critics. This gained him the ire of the British government, defending its own monarchy. A writ was issued for Paine’s arrest causing him to flee to France.
Without being able to speak French, he was quite remarkably elected to the French National Convention, which was formed to provide a new constitution for the country after the overthrow of the French monarchy. Despite being strongly in favor of abolishing the monarchy, Paine advised against the execution of King Louis XVI. It was a position that landed him in prison when radicals took power.
Paine was imprisoned for eleven months during which he began writing The Age of Reason critical of institutionalized religion. It was future president James Monroe who used diplomatic connections to gain Paine’s release. Paine went on to write Agrarian Justice in support of land reform before returning to the United States.
His forthright style was controversial to many, especially his religious criticism. He, thus, died an unpopular figure. His legacy has since enjoyed a rebirth with the recognition of his lofty contributions to egalitarianism and as an American Founding Father.
Paine came to Philadelphia in 1774 and began work as a publicist. In addition to being the literary lightning rod for independence and the creation of a democratic republic, he was the only prominent figure of the American Colonial Period to also be outspokenly in favor of the abolition of slavery and women’s rights. Additionally, he supported suffrage for non-landowners and spoke out against animal cruelty and dueling.
Paine, like Franklin, integrated with the Iroquois, gaining valuable insights and inspiration from their democratic confederation. In 1776, Paine wrote his famous pamphlet Common Sense—an inspiringly provocative call for American independence and the establishment of a democratic republic. In reference to Paine, John Adams once said, “Without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain.”
During the Revolutionary War, Paine became Secretary of the Congressional Committee on Foreign Affairs and wrote the powerfully influential Crisis papers. He then returned to England and supported the French Revolution. He authored The Rights of Man, defending the French Revolution against its critics. This gained him the ire of the British government, defending its own monarchy. A writ was issued for Paine’s arrest causing him to flee to France.
Without being able to speak French, he was quite remarkably elected to the French National Convention, which was formed to provide a new constitution for the country after the overthrow of the French monarchy. Despite being strongly in favor of abolishing the monarchy, Paine advised against the execution of King Louis XVI. It was a position that landed him in prison when radicals took power.
Paine was imprisoned for eleven months during which he began writing The Age of Reason critical of institutionalized religion. It was future president James Monroe who used diplomatic connections to gain Paine’s release. Paine went on to write Agrarian Justice in support of land reform before returning to the United States.
His forthright style was controversial to many, especially his religious criticism. He, thus, died an unpopular figure. His legacy has since enjoyed a rebirth with the recognition of his lofty contributions to egalitarianism and as an American Founding Father.