How Did Thomas Paine Contribute To The American Revolution

Thomas Paine: Father of the American Revolution

“History is to ascribe the American Revolution to Thomas Paine,” John Adams wrote in a letter to Thomas Jefferson in 1819. These powerful words indicate that Thomas Paine was the most influential founding father and contributed significantly to the development of America. He was the most integral founding father for the following reasons. First, Thomas Paine inspired the American Revolution through many writings such as Common Sense and his ideas in the Rights of Man which have impacted 21st century ideas in America. Second, through his writings he reached a mass audience and influenced many people. Lastly, he helped the American Revolution succeed by motivating the American army.

Thomas Paine was a tax officer and also searched for smugglers, but he did not succeed at any of his jobs. (“Thomas Paine.”) He was lonely since his wife and child both died from childbirth. When he was fired from his job he moved to America. In America he edited magazines

Common Sense was so influential that John Adams said: "Without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain" (“Thomas Paine”). In 1999, Time magazine named him as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century (“Time 100”). In 1791 and 1792 Thomas Paine wrote the Rights of Man which argued that people should be entitled to basic human rights such as the right to education, work, and care in old age. Many of these forward thinking ideas led to rights that are protected by the government such as public school education, medicare, and voting for all people above the age of 18. Thomas Paine’s writings continue to influence minds into the 21st