Common Sense

A detailed Summary of Common Sense


In "Common Sense" and "The Crisis" Thomas Paine expresses his idea about individual rights, the idea of revolution and what it means to be an American. John Locke had two major ideas about individual rights; human nature is potentially good, and mankind is capable of governing themselves.

Thomas Paine criticizes the governing of Americans by Great Britain in his writings. Here are some statements that show shared feelings by Locke and Paine.

"We have boasted the protection of Great Britain without considering that her motive was interest not attachment; and that she did not protect us form our enemies on our account; but from her enemies on her own account, from those who had no quarrel with us on any other account, and who will always be our enemies on the same account. Let Britain waive her pretensions to the continent, or the continent throw off the dependence, and we should be at peace with France and Spain, were they at war with Britain. The miseries of Hanover's last war ought to warn us against connections." (Note: Hanover's last war - The Seven Years war involving Prussia and Austria at the beginning then involving all major European powers.) (Page 695, Text)

"Your future connection with Britain, whom you can neithe


"But Britain is the parent country, say some. Then more shame upon her conduct. Even brutes do not devour their young, nor savages make war upon their families; wherefore, the assertion, if true, turns to her reproach; but it happens not to be true, or only partly so, and the phrase parent or mother country hath been jesuitically (cunningly) adopted by the King and his parasites, with a low papistical design of gaining an unfair bias on the credulous weakness of our minds." (Page 695, Text)

In this paragraph, Paine shows the meaning and love that defines being an American. Knowing that the price you will pay will be rewarded in the pleasure and severity of the outcome.

"I have heard it asserted by some, that as America has flourished under her former connection with Great Britain, the same connection is necessary towards her future happiness, and will always have the same effect, Nothing can be more fallacious that this kind of argument. We may as well assert that because a child has thrived upon milk, that it is never to have meat... But even this is admitting more than is true; for I answer roundly, that America would have flourished as much, and probably much more, had no European power taken any notice of her." (Page 694, Text)

These quotes show that Thomas Paine feels that the Americans are not being treated fairly, shows t

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Approximate Word count = 906
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels

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