Excerpts from Thomas Paine's CommonSense, 1776
... Mankind being originally equal in the order of creation,the equality could only be destroyed by some subsequentcircumstance: the distinctions of rich and poor may in agreat measure be accounted for, and that without havingrecourse to the harsh ill-sounding names of oppression andavarice. Oppression is often the consequence, but seldom ornever the means of riches; and though avarice will preservea man from being necessitously poor, it generally makes himtoo timorous to be wealthy.But there is another and greater distinction for which notruly natural or religious reason can be assigned, and that isthe distinction of men into KINGS and SUBJECTS. Maleand female are the distinctions of nature, good and bad thedistinctions of heaven; but how a race of men came into theworld so exalted above the rest, and distinguished like somenew species, is worth inquiring into, and whether they arethe means of happiness or of misery to mankind.In the following pages I offer nothing more than simplefacts, plain arguments, and common sense: and have noother preliminaries to settle with the reader, than that hewill divest himself of prejudice and prepossession, and sufferhis reason and his feelings to determine for themselves: thathe will put on, or rather that he will not put off, the truecharacter of a man, and generously enlarge his viewsbeyond the present day ....I have heard it asserted by some, that as America hasflourished under her former connection with Great Britain,the same connection is necessary towards her futurehappiness, and will always have the same effect. Nothingcan be more fallacious than this kind of argument. We mayas well assert that because a child has thrived upon milk,that it is never to have meat, or that the first twenty yearsof our lives is to become a precedent for the next twenty.But even this is admitting more than is true; for I answerroundly, that America would have flourished as much, andprobably much more, had no European power taken anynotice of her. The commerce by which she hath enrichedherself are the necessaries of life, and will always have amarket while eating is the custom of Europe.But she has protected us, say some. That she hath engrossedus is true, and defended the continent at our expense as wellas her own, is admitted; and she would have defendedTurkey from the same motive, viz. for the sake of trade anddominion.Alas! we have been long led away by ancient prejudices andmade large sacrifices to superstition. We have boasted theprotection of Great Britain, without considering, that hermotive was interest not attachment; and that she did notprotect us from our enemies on our account; but from herenemies on her own account, from those who had no quarrelwith us on any other account, and who will always be ourenemies on the same account ....But Britain is the parent country, say some. Then the moreshame upon her conduct. Even brutes do not devour theiryoung, nor savages make war upon their families;
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Europe, and not England, is the parent country of America.This new world hath been the asylum for the persecutedlovers of civil andreligious liberty from every part of Europe. Hither havethey fled, not from the tender embraces of the mother, butfrom the cruelty of the monster; and it is so far true ofEngland, that the same tyranny which drove the firstemigrants from horne, pursues their descendants still. ...I challenge the warmest advocate for reconciliation to showa single advantage that this continent can reap by beingconnected with Great Britain. I repeat the challenge; not asingle advantage is derived. Our corn will fetch its price inany market in Europe, and our imported goods must bepaid for, buy them where we will.But the injuries and disadvantages which we sustain bythat connection, are without number; and our duty tomankind at large, as well as to ourselves, instruct us torenounce the alliance: because, any submission to, ordependence on, Great Britain, tends directly to involve thiscontinent in European wars and quarrels, and set us atvariance with nations who would otherwise seek ourfriendship, and against whom we have neither anger norcomplaint. As Europe is our market for trade, we ought toform no partial connection with any part of it. It is the trueinterest of America to steer clear of European contentions,which she never can do, while, by her dependence onBritain, she is made the makeweight in the scale of Britishpolitics.Europe is too thickly planted with kingdoms to be long atpeace, and whenever a war breaks out between England andany foreign power, the trade of America goes t.o ruin,because of her connection with Britain. The next war maynot turn out like the last, and should it not, the advocatesfor reconciliation now will be wishing for separation then,because neutrality in that case would be a safer convoy thana man of war. Every thing that is right or reasonable pleadsfor separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping voice ofnature cries, 'TIS TIME TO PART ...... Small islands not capable of protecting themselves arethe proper objects for government to take under their care;but there is something absurd, in supposing a Continent tobe perpetually governed by an island. In no instance hathnature made the satellite larger than its primary planet; andas England and America, with respect to each other, reversethe common order of nature, it is evident that they belongto different systems. England to Europe: America to itself.No m.an was a warmer wisher for a reconciliation thanmyself, before the fatal nineteenth of April, 1775, but themoment the event of that day was made known, I rejectedthe hardened, sullen-tempered Pharaoh of England for ever;and disdain the wretch, that with the pretended title ofFATHER OF HIS PEOPLE can unfeelingly hear of theirslaughter, and composedly sleep with their blood upon hissoul. ...A government of our own is our natural fight: and when aman seriously reflects on the precariousness of humanaffairs, he will become convinced, that it is infinitely wiserand safer, to form a Constitution of our own in a cooldeliberate manner, while we have it in our power, than totrust such an interesting event to time and chance .... Ye
that tell us of harmony and reconciliation, can ye restore tous the time that is past?Can ye give to prostitution its former innocence? Neithercan ye reconcile Britain and America. The last cord now isbroken, the people of England are presenting addressesagainst us. There are injuries which nature cannot forgive;she would cease to be nature if she did. As well can the loverforgive the ravisher of his mistress, as the continent forgivethe murders of Britain .. The Almighty hath implanted in usthese unextinguishable feelings for good and wise pmposes.They are the guardians of his image in our hearts. Theydistinguish us from the herd of common animals. The socialcompact would dissolve, and justice be extirpated from theearth, or have only a casual existence were we callous to thetouches of affection. The robber and the murderer wouldoften escape unpunished, did not the injuries which ourtempers sustain, provoke us into justice.O!ye that love mankind! Ye that dare oppose not only thetyranny but the tyrant, stand forth! Every spot of the oldworld is overrun with oppression. Freedom hath beenhunted round the globe. Asia and Africa have long expelledher. Europe regards her like a stranger, and England hathgiven her warning to depart. O! receive the fugitive, andprepare in time an asylum for mankind.
In the opening passages, Paine states 3 arguments forloyalty. For each stated below, summarize how he refutesthese arguments:1. "'America has flourished under her former connectionwith Great Britain ... "
2. "But she has protected us, say some ... "
3. "But Britain is the parent country ... "
Underline the text referencing the TITLE ... what other wordsarc used in this passage that tell you who the TARGETaudience is?
What is Paine's argument for staying NEUTRAL inEUROPEAN conflicts?
What geogl'aphy/astwnomy metaphor does Paine use toillustrate his point?
What point is he making about ColoniallBritish relationswhen he says "Can ye give to prostitution its formerinnocence ?"
In the last line, Paine asks us to 'receive the fugitive' ... who01' what is the fugitive? Why is the fugitive on the run?From whom????
