Common Sense

Mitch Witek
AMST 193
Prof. Van Vleck
TA: Mark Redmond
13 February 2013

Common Sense
It is often unclear whether a leader defines the times, or whether the time period opens the door for a leader to emerge. Thomas Paine was most certainly the latter. By writing Common Sense at a time when America was ripe with purpose he thrust the American people into a war with the greatest empire of the age. Thomas Paine wrote one of the most influential documents in U.S history through a brilliant understanding of the audience and cultural atmosphere. Thomas Paine, born in England, immigrated to America in 1774 with the help of Benjamin Franklin. In Britain’s colonial America he took up a post as editor of the Pennsylvania Magazine. Equipped with grammar school education and experience publishing several political works, it is clear how Paine possessed the literary skills to inspire action through his words. He even distributed 4,000 copies of The Case of the Officers of Excise that fought for improved working conditions and pay. Furthermore, he had been ostracized by several jobs, and been through a divorce with his wife. These factors contributed to his sympathy, compassion, and anger regarding the colonists’ plight.
The beginning of the American Revolution can be traced back to the French and Indian war and the immense costs incurred on the British. As a direct result, harsh taxes were enacted on the colonies such as the infamous Townshend Acts of 1767. The Acts, which were repealed in 1770, proved to be a huge British error. They created American animosity and stemmed the anti-British sentiment that Common Sense would utilize. The tax on tea remained, however, culminating in 1773 and the Boston Tea Party. Through an event of this nature, one can see the unity of the colonists and their willingness to act; these two characteristics would prove vital to the revolution. It should not be assumed that this passion lay within everyone. Despite their discontent, much of the public still felt loyal to the king and hoped for only the removal of excessive taxation. This trepidation to seek full emancipation from British rule was a large roadblock in Thomas Paine’s ideas. He knew and expressed in Common Sense that a complete break from Britain was necessary.
Common Sense spread like wildfire within the tight knit, relatively literate communities. It was in this time period that the printing press had created a culture dependent on written documents for information. Newspapers were at the center of social hubs and sparked conversations regularly. Another crucial characteristic utilized by Paine was their faith. A large percentage of the colonists had escaped religious persecution in their native countries and sought religious justification for their revolutionary feelings. Thomas Paine, despite being a passionate atheist, included numerous religious references in his writing. “The Almighty hath implanted in us these unextinguishable feelings for good and wise purposes” (3). He claimed that God has given these feelings because of the crimes Britain had committed. As a whole America should acknowledge these emotions and harness them for the sake of justice. Religious references such as this connected with the people on a personal, spiritual level. Paine also knew how skeptical the people were of foreign affairs. Britain was already limiting their trade and the threat of being dragged into an unwanted war loomed over their heads. “The commerce by which she hath enriched herself are the necessaries of life, and will always have a market while eating is the custom of Europe” (1). Trade, he claimed would always be a source of revenue for the colonies and yet Britain was withholding this power from the states because of their personal relations. Paine then made a crucial assumption when he addressed the timely response necessary for revolution. Common Sense stressed that punctuality was pivotal for economic and militaristic reasons. The colonies lacked the infrastructure and leadership to rally a larger population. Therefore, they had to react immediately as unified peoples if they were to be successful. Britain could not gain the upper hand and crush the rebellion in its infancy.
Paine knew convincing the people they should do it, and convincing them they could do it were very different tasks. After all, the colonists were not willing to throw away what they had built in the new world. Furthermore, freedom without security means little and the final step in convincing the public to revolt lied with the confidence of the colonies to protect themselves. Paine confronted this hesitation through calculations of the colonists’ naval power. He explained in Common Sense that with the manpower, exports, and unity the colonies had it would cost only $3.5 million to create a navy capable of facing the British. For a nation with no debt this was a very small price to pay for a capable military.
Thomas Paine could not have asked for a better demographic to spark into action. Each individual proved his bravery when they left their homeland for a 3-month voyage to the colonies. The majority of the colonists had escaped religious persecution or had some view of a “better life”. Would a random, ethnically diverse group have been able to rally behind such a dangerous cause? Thomas Paine was preaching to a populace predisposed to movements and cultural shock. Events like the Boston Tea Party display this vehement nature. The colonists, whether through immigration or birth had been groomed for the task. The bravery and attitude that each colonist possessed was crucial in the spread of the pamphlet and the cohesiveness of the colonies. Whether unaware or unafraid of the treason they were committing when they supported the pamphlet, the colonists banded together behind the pamphlet. The revolutionary ideas contained in it spread from community to community and were discussed in vigor at social meeting places. The thoughts once only muttered late at night had been beautifully laid before the entire world to see. Thomas Paine removed the taboo surrounding revolution and gave it another means of transportation: word of mouth. The people passionately discussed and debated the various points, even reading it aloud in taverns. It was as if they were waiting for a document of this nature to rally around. Common Sense was the catalyst.
Thomas Paine showed a complete understanding of his audience through his writing style. He displayed incredible confidence despite presenting treasonous and radical ideas. One can imagine how his arguments appeared at first: a young, divided defying the greatest empire in the world. Understanding their initial response, he attacked the problem through a self-evident approach. How could a strong nation not stand up to a tyrant? And a free people continue to have their potential stymied by an overbearing mother country out of touch with reason? He approached the problems with simple solutions that the common man could endorse. Often unknown to readers today, the elongated sentence structure Paine used was the norm and relatively easy to read. “I challenge the warmest advocate for reconciliation to show a single advantage that this continent can reap by being connected with Great Britain” (2). This simplicity was the reason it spread so rapidly through the uncertain middle class. Obviously, a simple minded argument never could have commanded the world’s attention, but a simply worded and organized argument could. On a micro level, the pamphlet connected with the people; it justified their anti-British sentiment and even pro-colonist mindset. Perhaps due to his own uncertainty, Paine released the original copies under the preface “written by an Englishman”. This ambiguity fostered support from the masses that could now relate personally to the concepts. It was not coming from any individual, but rather the culture itself, further unifying the people.
Common Sense unified, convinced, and inspired the colonists in 1775 and for many years to come. Using strategic means such as simplicity and logic, Thomas Paine was able to connect with the common man. Through an understanding of his audience, Paine crafted a 48-page pamphlet that inspired a nation to win freedom from the greatest empire of the age.

References:
Paine, Thomas. (1776) Common Sense (Published by Benjamin Rush)
Van Vleck, Jenifer. Taken from Lecture 2 January 18th AMST 193

References: Paine, Thomas. (1776) Common Sense (Published by Benjamin Rush) Van Vleck, Jenifer. Taken from Lecture 2 January 18th AMST 193