Thomas Paine's Valid Arguments For Freedom

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Garrison Pulley His 211 9/5/15 Thomas Paine’s Valid Arguments for Freedom Thomas Paine was born in Britain on January 29th, 1737. His mother was Frances Pain, she gave birth to her son at 40 years old. His father named Joseph Pain got married on June 20, 1734. Thomas added the “e” to the end of Pain when he published Common Sense in 1776 and kept his last name that way for the rest of his life. Thomas stayed in school until the age of 13 when he began to work for his father. Thomas then began to educate himself during his free time. In 1774, Paine lost his job for writing a pamphlet called The Case of the Officers of Excise (1772). This represented to Parliament the tax collectors’ case for increased wages. Paine then began thinking about …show more content…

Common Sense is mainly about Americas freedom not only from the British but a freedom for America to keep. Thomas Paine wants a specific kind of freedom America where they are able to have the freedom to think or express whatever he or she wants. Paine believes that every american has the responsibility to protect their freedom at all times. Paine says in Common Sense “In England a king hath little more to do than make war and give away places; which in plain terms, is to impoverish the nation and set it together by the ears” (Pg. 86). Paine doesn't approve of the arguments about keeping a king because he believes the only powers a king has are destructive like declaring war and putting the country he is ruling into debt. This leaves the king with nothing to do with during and after the war. Paine is certain that the only way to prevent civil war in America is to give the country its independence. Paine says “But the most powerful of all arguments, is, that nothing but independence, i.e. a continental form of government, can keep the peace of the continent and preserve it inviolate from civil wars” (Pg. 95). Paine believed that America had a great chance to build a massive navy with the resources available in America. Many Americans would originally be afraid to go to war with Britain because of the strength of their navy. If America would fight for its independence they would have the ability to work the coastline and use Americas natural resources. Paine says “No country on the globe is so happily situated, or so internally capable of raising a fleet as America” (Pg.

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