Scan of cover of Common Sense, the pamphlet.

How Thomas Paine Made the Case for an Independent and Democratic America

Barbara Crane / January 1, 2026

Common Sense, published in January 1776, is well known for its strong advocacy of independence from Britain. Less known, but of vital importance, is Paine’s insistence that it is essential to create republics in which the people as a whole—not any one person— are sovereign. Ridiculing the unwritten English “Constitution” that all American factions then

Thomas Paine's Common Sense

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The Context of Common Sense: Analyzing Paine’s Words

Gary Berton / January 1, 2026

Beacon

Following the language of Common Sense, 96 local and state Declarations ofIndependence were written, repeating the language of Common Sense, leading to the national declaration.

Thomas Paine's Common Sense

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Drawing of Cornelius Ryder's house at Number 293 Bleeker Street in Manhattan where Paine lived with Madame Bonneville and her two sons until May 1809. Paine can be seen sitting in the window - The New York Public Library

The Myth of Paine’s Pennilessness

Joy Masoff / November 1, 2025

Beacon

Thomas Paine made his way to 4 Rue du Théatre Français. With his knock on the door, life changed for Nicolas and Marguerite Bonneville and their very young children.

The Bonneville Family and Thomas Paine, Thomas Paine and France, Thomas Paine and New Rochelle

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While writing Common Sense, Paine addressed a shortage of US gunpowder during the start of the revolution. He and a colleague conducted experiments on how families could make gunpowder from commonly available materials, with the results being printed in newspapers across the colonies.

Paine in Wartime: A Lifesaving Invention

Joy Masoff / November 1, 2025

Beacon

While Paine was speed writing Common Sense, he addressed a critical shortage of gunpowder that threatened to bring the American rebellion to a grinding halt.

Thomas Paine and Science

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Province Island and Mud Island south of Philadelphia in the Delaware River. Detail from John Montrésor‘s survey of Philadelphia, 1777. Library of Congress

Dr. John Kearsley, Jr.: Paine Arrives in America Stricken by Typhus

Richard Briles Moriarty / November 1, 2025

Beacon

In a March 1775 letter to Franklin, Paine said he had “suffered dreadfully” during the voyage, “had very little hopes” he “would live to see America,” and that six weeks in the care of Dr. John Kearsley, Jr. resulted in full recovery.

Benjamin Franklin

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An illustration titled “The Great Champion Of Liberty – Thomas Paine” by Watson Heston from the front page of the September 8, 1894 Truth Seeker magazine showing Paine holding a paper reading “Political and Religious Liberty” having slain a character labled “kingcraft” and driving away another labled “priestcraft”.

Thomas Paine: Founder of Modern Democracy: Part 2

Gary Berton / September 1, 2025

Beacon

Thomas Paine’s first principles built the structure of democracy. The mechanisms central to Paine’s political theories are rooted in his ideology of first principles. The basic foundation of these principles is equality, and as a direct result, justice. If equality is practiced, then people share equal justice.

Edmund Burke, Thomas Paine's Common Sense, Thomas Paine's Rights of Man

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Airmen of the 388th Bomb Group climb aboard their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30793) nicknamed "Tom Paine" before a mission.

Glimpses of Paine’s Reputation in History

Gary Berton / September 1, 2025

Beacon

The majority of historians have gone along with ignoring or misrepresenting Paine in history, from 18th century UK Tories to 21st century American biographer J.C.D. Clark. The reality was that the Federalists took over, wrote a constitution enabling plutocracy, and repressed the truth of Paine. Only two Paine biographers (Linton and Vale) were even half

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Theodore Dreiser and Thomas Paine

Frances Chiu / July 1, 2025

Beacon

Dreiser, like Paine, viewed oligarchy as a serious threat to ordinary Americans, who were sacrificed to rich overlords by a complicit government. Dreiser, like Paine, urged populist action: “We want a government for all the people! No enormous wealth in private hands!”

Thomas Paine and France

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Thomas Paine: Founder of Modern Democracy: Part 1

Gary Berton / July 1, 2025

Beacon

Thomas Paine is the founder of modern democracy. In word and deed, he crafted the democratic movement in three countries, and it spread on its own around the world. As a result, Paine was slandered, attacked and marginalized for 200 years.

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Why Thomas Paine is so Fascinating to Me

Scott Cleary, Ph.D. / May 1, 2025

Beacon

A Canadian who grew up outside Toronto, I first heard of Thomas Paine very briefly in high school when my Canadian history classes spent as little time as possible on the American Revolution. That was more about the Loyalist expulsion to Canada than the achievement of American independence.

Thomas Paine and Art, Thomas Paine and New Rochelle

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Where have you gone, Thomas Paine?

Brother Kevin M. Griffith, CFC / May 1, 2025

Beacon

Paine says that aristocracy and oligarchy should be rejected. Likewise, Paine says the worst kind of government is one where decisions are subject to the passions of a single individual. I advise those in the White House to study Paine’s writings

Thomas Paine and New Rochelle, William Cobbett

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Paine’s ‘English Accent’

Richard Briles Moriarty / May 1, 2025

Beacon

Today’s British accent emerged in the 19th century. As the century progressed, Americans largely retained traditional ways of speaking English while England radically deviated from those linguistic roots. Spoken British English and American English diverged.

Thomas Paine and England

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