Thomas Paine and Benjamin Franklin: The Enlightenment

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Thomas Paine and Benjamin Franklin: The Enlightenment

Thomas Paine and Benjamin Franklin were both very much so, products of enlightenment. They both were inspired to make new developments in either science, politics or religion. This is probably why they had an interest in each other. They both wanted to "enlighten" the world in order to contradict old ideas, and make the world a more successful and open-minded place.

Thomas Paine (1737-1809) helped foment the American Revolution through his powerful and, for the times, incendiary, writings, most notably his first great work, Common Sense published in 1776. (Cain 318) In this work, Paine attacked the divine right or kings and urged the American colonists to rebel against "Mother England," throw off its slavish dependence on a tyrannical government, and establish "the United States of America" (a phrase which he originated), a new nation that would have freedom of expression, assembly, association, education, and religion.

Thomas Paine was very opinionated and to some a controversial man. He felt that in his time, America had the right to be free from Great Britain. He stated that "a government of our own is our natural right" (Cain 331). He also wrote that, "it is the true interest of America to steer clear of European contentions...Europe is too thickly planted with kingdoms to be long at peace, and whenever a war breaks out between England and any foreign power, the trade of American goes to ruin" (Cain 322). Paine introduces democracy in his writing and feels the people of America should be a more independent people.

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During the darkest days of the colonists' struggle for independence, Paine wrote, in The American Crisis, these now-famous words: "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, but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered, yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." (Cain 338)

Paine's publication of The Age of Reason (Cain 334), a skeptical critique of ...

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