Thomas Paine's Common Sense is credited with having precipitated the move for independence. In fact, the exact nature of the American cause would have been rather hard to define in 1775 or early 1776. Clearly the Americans wanted the English to stop abusing them, as they saw it, but how was fighting a war supposed to achieve that end? What would constitute victory? As long as they were still British subjects, they would still be subject to British law, and by 1775 it was unlikely that Parliament would grant them any real form of self-government. As the Declaratory Act of 1766 had made clear, Parliament claimed the right to govern the colonies in any case whatsoever. Since achieving quasi-independence was an unrealistic hope, therefore, the only thing that finally did make sense was American independence, a case made very powerfully by Thomas Paine.

Thomas Paine was a lower middle class Englishman of the 1700's. From his low position in life, Paine noticed how hypocritical and corrupt the English government was and he form

Paine's vast influence is due in large to his luminous literary style. He made his arguments for independence in a reasonable and forceful manner. But he also wrote for the common people as he assumed their knowledge of nothing more than the bible. That is why Paine used many references to God in his writing. These religious references promoted the idea that a war against Britain would be a war in support of God and religious ideals. And he did as much as any writer could to encourage resistance and to inspire faith in the Continental Army.

ed ideas about law, including that the republic was the optimal form of government and that equality was for all, regardless of race. He brought these philosophies with him to America in 1774. When he realized his immense talent for persuasive writing, he committed himself to a life of aiding the poor as a political propagandist.

most Americans were still reluctant to do so. That reluctance seemed to change over night. In 1776, Paine wrote Common Sense, in which he offered, "nothing more than simple facts, plain argument

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