Common Sense and Other Works

By Thomas Paine

When Thomas Paine published his pamphlet Common Sense over the course of 1775 and 1776 it helped to galvanize the colonists to demand egalitarian government and separation from Great Britain. A bestseller in its day, it is recognized as one of the most important historical documents in the run up to the American Revolution. This volume contains not only the full text of Common Sense, but also the full text of Rights of Man, Paine’s defense of the French Revolution, and the first five pamphlets in his American Crisis series.

This special edition features an elegantly designed cover and a durable flexible binding. It is an indispensable addition to any home history library.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fall River Press
• Release date: Jun 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781435172050

Thomas Paine

English-born Thomas Paine left behind hearth and home for adventures on the high seas at nineteen. Upon returning to shore, he became a tax officer, and it was this job that inspired him to write The Case of the Officers of Excise in 1772. Paine then immigrated to Philadelphia, and in 1776 he published Common Sense, a defense of American independence from England. After returning to Europe, Paine wrote his famous Rights of Man as a response to criticism of the French Revolution. He was subsequently labeled as an outlaw, leading him to flee to France where he joined the National Convention. However, in 1793 Paine was imprisoned, and during this time he wrote the first part of The Age of Reason, an anti-church text which would go on to be his most famous work. After his release, Paine returned to America where he passed away in 1809.