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.

Loyalist James Chalmers answers Thomas Paine's Common Sense.

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.

Detailed biography of the American revolutionary writer and thinker Thomas Paine. Includes discussion of the influence of his writing on international affairs.

An in-depth profile of Thomas Paine and discussion of his literary works. Includes links to e-texts of his writings.

A biography of Thomas Paine, including a discussion of his works. Provides quotes and a bibliography.

Short biography of Revolutionary activist Thomas Paine. Includes historical illustration of Paine plus a video clip from the PBS documentary "Liberty."

Discussion of comparison and contrast of Declaration of Independence and Common Sense. If you click the "documents" link in the sidebar, you can also access the text of Common Sense.

This tutorial looks at the British political traditions that influenced the American colonists as they gained their independence from Britain and created their own form of government. A PDF file of the tutorial is available.