Thomas Paine Essay, Research Paper

After meeting a family called the Rumpels, Paine knew what he had to do. He wanted to be more clear. Then he started to write Common Sense. He only had a bed, a bolster, chest, coat-rack, table, two fairly good suits of clothes, ink and paper. That was all that he needed plus a few pennies for candles, something for food, and something to drink. Paine started drinking rum or anything that would help his pen move on the paper. Without realizing it, he neglected his appearence, sometimes spending twenty-four hours in his room, shaving less often, holding his small stash of money, allowing his clothes to wear out and become shabby. Thomas sometimes sold a poem or two to Aitkin. While he would sell, Aitkin would ask how his masterpiece would be coming along. Paine said that it wasn’t a masterpiece, it was just some common sense. When he was finished with it, Aitkin refused to publish it because he didn’t want to get caught for treason. He did, however, recommend someone who ‘prints everything. Paine went to the man whose name was Bobby Bell, also a Scotsman. It was soon published as a small book. People everywhere were buying it and reading it to groups of people. Paine said that Bell could keep the profits because Paine didn’t expect to sell any books. To his surprise though, one hundred-thousand copies were sold in three months. He made up many peoples’ minds during the Revolution for what they were fighting for. He continued to publish a series of pamphlets called the Crisis which was published from 1776-83.

Paine died on June 8, 1809. He was living in poverty. He wasn’t as famous and well-known as he had been before because of some criticism he made of George Washington in a letter to him. On his deathbed, many people tried to make him turn into a Catholic since he had no religion. All their efforts were lost as soon as he died. He wasn’t as famous and well-known as he had been before because of some criticism he made of George Washington in a letter to him.