Thomas Paine by Isaac "These are the times that try men's souls, the summer soldier, and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country." These were the words of Thomas Paine, an American revolutionary war writer that gave America the courage to break away from England. Born in 1737 in Thetford England, Thomas Paine became a corset maker like his father when he was fourteen. He that did some odd jobs before he became an English excise officer. He was fired from that job. According to my sources, there are two possible reasons for his termination: a) he tried to raise the pay of excise officers b) he neglected his post, of course it could have been for both. Benjamin Franklin recommended that Paine go to Philadelphia, so he did, and became an editor of Pennsylvania magazine. That is where he wrote his first article deploring slavery. He always stood up for freedom. Thomas Paine wrote his first pamphlet, Common Sense, (50 pages long), in 1776. This is the beginning of it - "Freedom has been hunted around the globe. Asia and Africa has expelled her and England has given her warning to depart. O receive the fugitive and prepare, in time, an asylum for mankind." He wrote this anonymously, but later, probably due to it's huge success he confessed. Soon he wrote The Crisis, a series of 16 pamphlets stating (among other things), "these are the times that try men's souls..."and" Tyranny, like hell, is not easily overcome." Thomas Paine also served briefly in the army under Captain Nathaniel Greene. After the war, Paine established a fund for needy soldiers. He was given a major post in the continental Government, but he was fired, because he gave information about the unpatriotic acts of Silas Deane (the colonial minister to France) to the public. He died a poor man, even though he had been so instrumental in the birth of a new country of freedom.Works Cited"Paine, Thomas." The World Book Encyclopedia. 1053ed.,P,6033-6934"Paine, Thomas." Comptons Encyclopedia. 1965ed., P,21Paine, Thomas CD-ROM. Encarta Multimedia Encyclopedia. 1998
by Isaac
"These are the times that try men's souls, the summer soldier, and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country." These were the words of Thomas Paine, an American revolutionary war writer that gave America the courage to break away from England.
Born in 1737 in Thetford England, Thomas Paine became a corset maker like his father when he was fourteen. He that did some odd jobs before he became an English excise officer. He was fired from that job. According to my sources, there are two possible reasons for his termination: a) he tried to raise the pay of excise officers b) he neglected his post, of course it could have been for both.
Benjamin Franklin recommended that Paine go to Philadelphia, so he did, and became an editor of Pennsylvania magazine. That is where he wrote his first article deploring slavery. He always stood up for freedom.
Thomas Paine wrote his first pamphlet, Common Sense, (50 pages long), in 1776. This is the beginning of it - "Freedom has been hunted around the globe. Asia and Africa has expelled her and England has given her warning to depart. O receive the fugitive and prepare, in time, an asylum for mankind." He wrote this anonymously, but later, probably due to it's huge success he confessed.
Soon he wrote The Crisis, a series of 16 pamphlets stating (among other things), "these are the times that try men's souls..."and" Tyranny, like hell, is not easily overcome." Thomas Paine also served briefly in the army under Captain Nathaniel Greene.
After the war, Paine established a fund for needy soldiers. He was given a major post in the continental Government, but he was fired, because he gave information about the unpatriotic acts of Silas Deane (the colonial minister to France) to the public. He died a poor man, even though he had been so instrumental in the birth of a new country of freedom.
Works Cited
"Paine, Thomas." The World Book Encyclopedia. 1053ed.,P,6033-6934
"Paine, Thomas." Comptons Encyclopedia. 1965ed., P,21
Paine, Thomas CD-ROM. Encarta Multimedia Encyclopedia. 1998