Common Sense

The pamphlet Common Sense was first published January 10, 1776 by Thomas Paine. It was the most popular read in the colonies at the time. Common Sense was more or less like a sermon and was based on biblical references. In Common Sense Paine talks about how people can live just fine without a government.  Paine thought that it was best if the people just meet with each other to solve problems rather than going through a government. He also realizes though that as the societies grow and get bigger a need for government is a must. The government was put in place to enforce regulations. Over time these regulations turned into laws. Paine thinks that by holding elections, it will be a good balance between the societies and government. Paine starts to study the Constitution of the United Kingdom. He finds that there is too much power with that sort of government. Paine says that this aristocratic and monarchical tyranny contributes nothing to the people. Paine looks at the difference between American colonies and England and argues that the best course of action for both American colonies and England is independence.  Paine says that each colony should hold elections for five people. They would be accompanied by two members of the colonies. These seven people would meet at the Continental Conference and draft a Continental Charter. This would secure property and freedom to all, and the freedom to exercise religion.  Paine though that each colony should be divided into different districts, and would send the proper number of delegates to Congress. Paine also thought that each district should send thirty people to Congress and that the total number in Congress should be three hundred and ninety. This Congress would meet every year and would elect a new president.  The colonies would be put into a lottery and the president would be elected by all of the Congress, from the delegates of the colonies who were selected in the lottery. To elect a President or to pass a law, Congress must have 3/5 of the vote. Paine also writes about the potential of American military by using the large amount of lumber that’s available in the country. This could create a navy that would rival the Royal Navy.

The Stamp Act of Congress brought about a very bitter tension between the colonies and Britain. The colonists consider this to be outrageous. They said that they should not be taxed without their consent.  Consent could only be granted through the Colonial Legislature. Many people of the colonies signed petitions and also participated in many protest. Most of these protests were held by merchants and landowners, because they would be the ones who got taxed the most. After many countless debates the Act was repealed on March 18, 1766. However the British Parliament just passed something else called the Declaratory Act. This mad the colonist even more upset. So the tensions were quite tense between the colonies and Britain’s parliament. This then lead to the American Revolution.  

Resolution of Independence was an act of declaring the thirteen colonies to be more independent from the British Empire. It was brought about on June 7^th, 1776 by Richard Lee. It took several weeks to gain support for this independence. The Resolution of Independence was then approved on July 2^nd, 1776.

            The “Necessity of Taking up Arms” was authored by Thomas Jefferson and John Dickenson.   This describes the actions of the British Parliament that made the colonist upset. They would justify the need to resist British forces with arms. They didn’t want this to break all ties with the British government however. This document states that we need to conserve the old liberties and bring back old order. “In defense of the freedom that is our birth right and which we ever enjoyed until the late violation of it.”

            All of these things just show the amazing growth of the colonies over a short period of time. How the colonies came together and showed that they could establish a government and still keep independence. How the government of the thirteen colonies could break free of the grip of the British government. How they continued to fight without giving up.