Who was Thomas Paine?
Political Philosopher.
Date and Place of Birth:
29th January 1737, Thetford, Norfolk, England.
Family Background:
Son of a Quaker small holder and corset maker.
Education:
Local Grammar School. Took up the corset making
business at the age of thirteen.
Chronology/Biography of Thomas Paine:
1750: Took up corset
making in Kent. He then got work as a sailor and a school teacher.
1768: Moved to Lewes
in Sussex where he was employed as an Excise Officer. He became
active in local politics,serving on the local Council and started
a debating society in a local public House. He was dismissed by
his employers as an agitator for asking for a pay rise for himself
and colleagues. He then moved to London.
1774: Met Benjamin
Franklin who helped him to emigrate to America. He settled in Philadelphia
and took up work as a radical journalist. He had several articles
published in the "Pennsylvan Magazine" including one urging
the abolition of slavery.
1776: He published
a pamphlet called "Common Sense" which attacked the British
Monarchy and argued for American Independence. During the American
War of Independence Paine wrote many articles enthusing the superiority
of republican democracy over the monarchical system and also served
in the armies of George Washington.
1777: Became Secretary
to the Congress Committee on Foreign affairs.
1781: Went to France
on a fund raising trip for the American cause.
1787: He returned
to England.
1791: Published
"The Rights of Man" as a reply to Edmund Burke's
"Reflection's on the French Revolution". In it he supported
both the French and an overthrow of the British Monarchy. Not surprisingly
he was indicted for treason by the British but managed to escape
to Paris before he could be arrested. (This is a seminal work in
British History as it also argued for votes for all men over 21,
an increase in the power of the House of Commons, the decline of
the House of Lords, the introduction of progressive taxation based
on the ability to pay, family allowances, old age pensions and maternity
grants. The book was banned by the British Authorities but over
200,000 people in Britain still managed to buy a copy).
1792: He was made
a French Citizen and became a member of the National Convention
as Deputy for Pas-de-Calais. As a supporter of the Girondins he
spoke out against the execution of King Louis the Sixteenth and
thus upset Robespierre who had him arrested. Robespierre took away
his French citizenship and said he was being charged as an enemy
Englishman.
1794: During his
time in prison he completed his work "The Age of Reason".
After the "Terror" he was released on the grounds that
he was a United States citizen after a plea by the American minister
James Munroe.
1796: Publication
of "The Age of Reason", which was an attack on accepted
religion. (Again this work made him many enemies and alienated him
from his friends including George Washington). Thus he remained
in Paris.
1802: He returned
to the United States but now he was ostracised as an atheist and
a freethinker, very different to his reception during the War of
Independence. Unable to return to Britain, however, he died alone
and in poverty on a farm in New York State even though by now over
a million and a half copies of "The Rights of Man" had
been sold in Europe.
Written Works:
- 1768:
"The Case of Officers of Excise".
- 1776:
“Common Sense.” "The American Crisis".
- 1786: "Dissertations
on Government".
- 1787:
“Prospects on the Rubicon.”
- 1791:
“The Rights of Man.” (Parts 1 and 2).
- 1794: “The
Age of Reason.”
- 1795: “First
Principles of Government.”
- 1796: "The
Age of Reason" (Part Two).
Marriage:
1. Married a servant girl at the age of twenty-two
who died the following year.
2. Elizabeth Ollive, daughter of a shopkeeper. (separated when they
got into debt).
Places of Interest:
EAST SUSSEX:
Lewes.
NORFOLK:
Ancient House Museum, White Hart Street, Thetford,
IP24 1AA.
Date and Place of Death:
8th June 1809, New York City, United States of
America.
Age at Death:
72.
Site of Grave:
Thomas Paine National Museum, New Rochelle, Westchester
County, New York.
