Did American colonists consider it important to gain independence from England? Apparently not; Thomas Paine’s Common Sense was written to convince colonists that a break with England was inevitable, necessary, and within their capabilities. Paine set up his arguments very carefully. He began by discussing how a government should be set up: without monarchy or hereditary succession. He moved on to the natural rights of human beings from there. By the end of the pamphlet, he talked about the potential of America and how the colonies would defeat Great Britain. Paine smoothly related all these issues back to each other, doing his best to convince the colonists that this opinion of American independence, was just plain common sense.
There was discussion about the proper form of government in Common Sense. Paine argued that government was “a necessary evil” (p74) that “[supplied] the defect of moral virtue” (p75) in even the best circumstances. The important thing to remember was that it was necessary, but had to be tightly controlled by the people being governed. Another point was that the closer a country got to being a republic, the less need there was for a king. After all, “[i]n England, a king hath little more to do than to make war and give away places…[a] pretty business indeed!” (p86) Hereditary succession was no better. Even if a certain man was a genius at leading a country, there was no guarantee that his descendents would be any better than a “rouge or a fool.” (p83) If the colonies were independent, though, they would have the chance to “begin government at the right end” (p105), properly, without a king, without hereditary succession, but with the “charter of government…formed first, and the men delegated to execute them afterward.” (p105) The entire setup, from the concept to the bold words he used, was designed to get Americans thinking about their current system of government and how intolerable it was. It called for all lovers of mankind to do their duties as human beings and stand up for their natural rights.
The Essay on Common Sense Government Paine
... mind about the strength of the British government. Paine questions the government saying:' How came the king by a power which the people are ... power. The British are also a huge economic bane on American colonists. Paine's stance is that it is crucial to the survival of ... pierced so deep.' ' (90) Under the circumstances, a separation between England and America is crucial to the survival of America. The ...
It was also necessary to convince America that she could escape England. England was very powerful and people thought it would be impossible to overthrow the monarchy. It would be ridiculous to “expend millions for the sake of getting a few vile acts repealed, and routing the present ministry only” (p100) so the only course was to fight for full independence. While convincing the American people that the British monarch was wrong and independence from such a monarchy was a must, the real challenged was inspiring the colonists to raise arms against Britain. He argued that if the colonies united, they could succeed.
America “hath, at this time, the largest body of armed and disciplined men of any power under Heaven.” (p100) As for naval power, “[n]o country on the globe is so happily situated, so internally capable of raising a fleet as America. Tar, timber, iron, and cordage are her natural produce.” (p102) America could stand alone, and needed no other resources. Paine made it very obvious that the time had come to declare independence. “I have never met with a man, either in England or America, who hath not confessed his opinion, that a separation between the countries, would take place one time or other.” (p99) That being the case, “the inquiry ceases at once, for the time hath found us.” (p100)
Common Sense was a very effective piece of propaganda for the American cause. Paine’s bold and matter-of-fact style goes a long way in convincing the readers that his conclusions are the correct, even obvious, ones. Paine’s “simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense” (p86) won over Americans and contributed to the American cause in an immeasurable way.
The Essay on Enlightenment In Latin America
ter> How Did The Enlightenment Effect Latin America? Enlightenment ideas in Latin America took place during the 1700s to the early 1800s. These ideas were appealed to the people because they taught that man was free and that all were equal. These ideas were important especially in countries were slavery existed and countries under the control of foreign powers. The Spark that ignited wide ...
