Thomas Paine was an English-born American political activist and philosopher who greatly influenced both the American and French revolutions. He is most famous for writing the influential pamphlet "Common Sense" in 1776 which used religious references and plain language to powerfully argue for American independence from British rule, helping persuade the colonists to declare independence.

1. Thomas Paine
By: Tom Blanton

2. Personal History
• Born on February 9th, 1737 in England
• Immigrated to the American colonies in 1774
• Paine greatly influenced the French Revolution
• Wrote many books and pamphlets
• Paine is famous for writing “Common Sense”
• He became notorious because of The Age of Reason (1793–
94), his book advocating deism, promoting reason and
freethinking, and arguing against institutionalized religion and
Christian doctrines

3. “Common Sense”
• It was first published anonymously on January 10, 1776
• However Thomas Paine began work on Common Sense in late
1775 under the working title of Plain Truth
• Common Sense presented the colonists
with a powerful argument for independence
from British rule.
• Paine structured Common Sense like a
sermon and used Biblical references
to make his case to the people