Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine’s The American Crisis: A Rallying Cry That Changed History
On December 19, 1776, as the War for Independence stood on the brink of collapse, Thomas Paine published The American Crisis. Beginning with the immortal line of “THESE are the times that try men’s souls,” it was no mere essay – it was a...
Thomas Paine: A Lifetime of Radicalism
Although he has been called “The Father of the American Revolution,” Thomas Paine was perhaps the most unlikely man in the world to carry the torch of American independence. An Englishman who was once employed by the same king he grew to despise, Paine had been a...
These are the Times that Try Men’s Souls
Beginning with the immortal line, “THESE are the times that try men’s souls,” Thomas Paine’s “The American Crisis, No. I” holds a revered place in American History. Composed as a patriotic rallying cry for a weary army, and to reject and refute British arguments...
Thomas Paine’s Return to America
Many people know Paine as the author of Common Sense, The Crisis, and The Rights of Man. Fewer know him as an unapologetic opponent of slavery, paper money, and aristocratic privilege. Fewer still know he spent considerable time in both England and France – escaping...