Thomas Paine's Common Sense - Old Corner Bookstore

283 Washington St

On the Corner of Washington and School Street (above Chipotle) is one of Boston’s oldest brick structures (1712) and was the site of the Old Corner Bookstore. The bookstore was made famous for meetings on the second floor by the likes of Nathanael Hawthorn, Harriet Beecher-Stowe, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Charles Dickens (who lived in Boston for two years) would meet and discuss poetry, politics, and literature. It was home to 19th century publishing giant Ticknor and Fields which produced Thoreau’s Walden, Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Ton’s Cabin, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, and Julie Ward Howe’s Battle Hymn of the Republic.

The most notable propaganda of the Revolution was Common Sense by Thomas Paine 1776 – promoted the idea of American exceptionalism and the need to form a new nation to realize it’s promise. This went ‘viral’ and produced est ½ million copies throughout the colonies by the end of the war. It attracted public support amongst loyalists who were loath to break away from Britain. “He encouraged them to realize that they weren’t British, that they were Americans,” Biographer Kaye wrote. One of Paine’s most important notions, that Americans should trust their feelings, rather than get bogged down in abstract political debates. (Biographer Stephen Fried)

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Why did Common Sense succeed so brilliantly as a piece of political propaganda? Among other reasons, because it is a kind of secular sermon, an extraordinarily adroit mingling of religion and politics. Look at the opening paragraphs ("Time makes more converts than reason.") in which Paine casts the decision to support the cause of rebellion as a matter of feeling rather than thought, as a process akin to that of evangelical conversion. Review his assault on monarchy, which boils down to the proposition that all kings are blasphemous usurpers who claim a sovereign authority over other human beings that rightfully belongs only to God. Notice, too, how vehemently Paine insists that the Jews of the Old Testament rejected monarchical government—the obvious conclusion being that God’s new “chosen people” in America should follow that example. Consider his assertion that the colonies are an asylum of religious liberty, implying that Americans must pass from argument to arms to protect freedom of conscience for religious dissenters. And, finally, don’t miss how often the cadences of Common Sense echo and even reiterate the language of the Bible. Thomas Paine was anything but an orthodox Christian. It’s more indicative of the religious views of his audience than himself as author.

He also authored 13 pamphlets between 1776 and 1777 but Common Sense was the most notable followed by The American Crisis 1776-1783. The pamphlets were contemporaneous with early parts of the American Revolution when colonists needed inspiring works. The American Crisis series was used to "recharge the revolutionary cause.” Paine, like many other politicians and scholars, knew that the colonists were not going to support the American Revolutionary War without proper reason to do so. Written in a language that the common person could understand, they represented Paine's liberal philosophy. Paine also used references to God, saying that a war against Great Britain would be a war with the support of God. Paine's writings bolstered the morale of the American colonists, appealed to the British people's consideration of the war, clarified the issues at stake in the war, and denounced the advocates of a negotiated peace.

-Source Links-

https://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/eighteen/ekeyinfo/erelrev.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_Crisis