2. In 1774 Thomas met
Benjamin Franklin in
London and was
convinced to migrate to
Philadelphia. His career
turned from tax collecting
to journalism and he
wrote Common Sense
Which was a strong
defense of American
Independence from
England.
3. Thomas returned to Europe
and while there he wrote The
Rights of Man. This work
caused him to be labeled an
outlaw.
In 1793 he was imprisoned in
France and during his
imprisonment he wrote The
Age of Reason which was an
anti-church text.
He eventually was released and
returned back to America in
1802.