Primary
Henry J. Sage

Sage American History: Common Sense, Thomas Paine, 1776

For Students 9th - 10th
Excerpts from Thomas Paine's Common Sense, in which Paine makes a powerful case for American independence.
Lesson Plan
National Humanities Center

National Humanities Center: America in Class: Thomas Paine's Common Sense, 1776

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Lesson on how Thomas Paine's pamphlet Common Sense convinced reluctant Americans to abandon the goal of reconciliation with Britain and accept independence as the only option for preserving their liberty.
Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Thomas Paine: Writer and Revolutionary

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
By watching a biographical video and engaging in two primary source activities, students will encounter the ideas, writings, and impact of Thomas Paine.
Primary
Internet History Sourcebooks Project

Fordham University: Modern History Sourcebook: Thomas Paine

For Students 9th - 10th
The complete original text of Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" originally published in January 1776.
Unit Plan
Other

Media Vision Voices: Meet Thomas Paine

For Students 9th - 10th
Read an extensive biography of 18th century political writer Thomas Paine, click to read about his ideas placed in a contemporary context, and use research links to read more online.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Common Sense by Thomas Paine

For Students 9th - 10th
The complete original text of the third edition of Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" published in 1776 in six linked sections.
Primary
Other

Positive Atheism: Life of Thomas Paine

For Students 9th - 10th
This site features the complete text of Thomas Clio Rickman's 1819 biography of the chief political philosopher of the American Revolutionary War.
Primary
Internet History Sourcebooks Project

Fordham University: Modern History Sourcebook: Thomas Paine

For Students 9th - 10th
Some of Thomas Paine's essays on religion can be found at this site.
Handout
Bill of Rights Institute

Bill of Rights Institute: Thomas Paine

For Students 9th - 10th
Thomas Paine was a major figure during the early years of the American Revolution. One of the foremost propagandists for American liberty in the 1770s, Paine penned words that rallied the war-weary spirit of the colonists and that still...
Unit Plan
C-SPAN

C Span American Writers: Thomas Paine

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about Thomas Paine's revolutionary publication "Common Sense" of 1776. Be sure to click on 'featured place' and 'classroom resources' for more facts and information about Paine.
eBook
Other

Common Sense Complete Text

For Students 9th - 10th
Text of Thomas Paine's "Common Sense." Click onto introduction for full text or if you are looking for a specific section, then click onto the heading.
Unit Plan
Cengage Learning

Paine/common Sense

For Students 9th - 10th
This site takes a brief look into Thomas Paine (1737-1809). The site includes Paine's thoughts and beliefs as well as providing an analysis of his writings.
Unit Plan
C-SPAN

American Writers: Thomas Paine

For Students 9th - 10th
An informational site on Thomas Paine. Includes general information about his life, works, and writings, including Common Sense and The Age of Reason. Also includes links to other sites.
Activity
Other

Biographies: Thomas Paine

For Students 9th - 10th
Detailed biography of the American revolutionary writer and thinker Thomas Paine. Includes discussion of the influence of his writing on international affairs.
Unit Plan
Georgia Department of Education

Ga Virtual Learning:american Literature and Comp: Rationalism:thomas Paine

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson focuses on Thomas Paine including his background, writings, and political career. A link to "The Crisis No. 1" by Thomas Paine is provided; students are to read it and underline examples of rhetoric. There is also a quiz over...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Thomas Paine's Common Sense

For Students 5th - 8th
Read about the rhetorical touches Thomas Paine employed in his pamphlet, Common Sense, which galvanized colonial thought about actually breaking away from Mother England.
Article
BBC

Bbc History: Thomas Paine

For Students 9th - 10th
Professor John Belchem, of the University of Liverpool, writes this scholarly profile of Thomas Paine for BBC History. In it he describes the tenor and impact of Paine's writings and explains the significance of Paine's thinking on the...
Unit Plan
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Harcourt: Biographies: Thomas Paine

For Students 9th - 10th
Brief biography regarding Revolutionary War writer Thomas Paine.
Website
University of Groningen

American History: Outlines: Common Sense and Independence

For Students 9th - 10th
Overview of the philosophy of Thomas Paine in his widely read Common Sense pamphlet, and "natural rights" philosphy as expressed in the opening passage of the Declaration of Independence.
Website
Smithsonian Institution

National Portrait Gallery: Thomas Paine: The Radical Founding Father

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about Thomas Paine through text that accompanies selections from an exhibition of portraits of Paine and artifacts from his writings
Article
Varsity Tutors

Varsity Tutors: Archiving Early America: A Loyalist Answers Thomas Paine

For Students 9th - 10th
Loyalist James Chalmers answers Thomas Paine's Common Sense.
Website
Other

The Quotations Page: Common Sense by Thomas Paine

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides quotes from Thomas Paine's Common Sense.
Website
Other

Thomas Paine: A Brief History

For Students 9th - 10th
A biography of Thomas Paine, including a discussion of his works. Provides quotes and a bibliography.
Activity
PBS

Pbs Liberty!: Thomas Paine

For Students 9th - 10th
Short biography of Revolutionary activist Thomas Paine. Includes historical illustration of Paine plus a video clip from the PBS documentary "Liberty."

Other popular searches