Thomas Paine

Thomas Paine was an English-born American political activist, philosopher, political theorist, and revolutionary. He was born in Thetford, Norfolk, England in 1737 and emigrated to the British American colonies in 1774. He authored Common Sense (1776) and The American Crisis (1776–1783), two of the most influential pamphlets at the start of the American Revolution. His ideas reflected Enlightenment-era ideals of human rights. Paine lived in France for most of the 1790s, becoming deeply involved in the French Revolution. He died in New York City in 1809.

Here are some of his most notable accomplishments:

* Wrote Common Sense, a pamphlet that helped to inspire the American Revolution
* Wrote The American Crisis, a series of pamphlets that helped to boost morale during the American Revolution
* Wrote Rights of Man, a defense of the French Revolution
* Wrote The Age of Reason, a deist critique of Christianity

Paine was a controversial figure in his own time, and he remains so today. His ideas were radical for his time, and they continue to challenge people's beliefs about government, religion, and society.