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Colonial Americans enjoyed relative independence from England until 1763, which marked the cessation of the Seven Years’ War. Prior to that time, the British government had paid little attention to the domestic affairs conducted by their American colonists. The war was costly; however, and England deemed it appropriate that American colonies contribute to the war debt and the costs associated with stationing British troops on American soil. The British government assessed taxes on the colonies yet denied colonists the right to Parliamentary representation in the House of Commons.

==== ''Common Sense'' ====

In an ironic twist, colonists who were once filled with British pride were now consumed with American patriotism. When Americans realized they would never be considered equals with Englishmen, they resolved to find that sense of equality among themselves; while concurrently denying such liberties to those who were deemed inferior. Such men as John and Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry courageously paved the path to freedom for white men in the colonies. Arguably, the man most instrumental in the movement towards independence, and perhaps the forgotten Founding Father, was Thomas Paine.

==== Paine's Influence ====

One reason ''Common Sense'' was such an influential piece was because it was written in a manner understandable by all. Most subsistence farmers of the time did not have an education conducive to understanding the essence of someone such as philosopher John Locke. Paine used a common language to appeal to people in all levels of society. By doing so, he discredited the notion that poor farmers and others of the lower classes had no choice but to abide by any law put forth by a distant government. Individually they did not, but when Paine erased the sense of isolation prevalent throughout the rural communities, he did enlighten those citizens, which in turn elicited their response to revoke tacit consent.

==== Conclusion ====

In the introduction to ''Common Sense'', Paine declares “a long habit of not thinking a thing ''wrong'', gives it a superficial appearance of being ''right''.”<ref>Paine,3.</ref> This simple sentence opened the minds of common citizens to the possibilities of a less oppressive future in an egalitarian society for white men. Thomas Paine anonymously unleashed the buried patriot spirit of average American colonists. While Parliament was implementing strict tax laws and occupying the American continent, Thomas Paine was transforming the lives and attitudes of its inhabitants. England created an atmosphere of future subservience among the colonists, while Thomas Paine reached out to these same people and through his inspired words, fomented a revolution.

====References====

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[[Category:Wikis]] [[Category:American Revolution]] [[Category:United States History]]

Updated October 4, 2019