Lesson
Thomas Paine (1737-1809)
What contributions did Thomas Paine make to the Revolutionary cause? Examine his arguments in Common Sense, The Rights of Man, The Age of Reason.
Founding Principles
Civil Discourse, Equality, Liberty, Representative / Republican Government
Learning objectives
Students will:
- explain the arguments Thomas Paine made in Common Sense.
- explain the main ideas of The Rights of Man and The Age of Reason.
- understand the reasons for Paine’s negative reception in the U.S. upon his 1802 return.
- analyze The American Crisis and Paine’s explication of civic values.
- evaluate modern applications of eighteenth-century civic values.
- appreciate the contributions Thomas Paine made to the revolutionary cause.
Materials
Student Handouts
- Handout A—Thomas Paine (1737–1809)
- Handout B—Vocabulary and Context Questions
- Handout C—In His Own Words: Thomas Paine on Patriotism
- Handout D—Analysis: Paine and Civic Values
Additional Teacher Resource
Lesson Components
Lesson plan
60 minClick a phase to open it
Standards
Advanced Placement
- CCE
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Related materials
FounderThomas Paine
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 stir the hearts of Americans today, even when taken out of their original context: