In Greenwich Village today is a plaque installed almost 100 years ago in honor of Paine. The memorial is at 59 Grove Street in a building now standing on the location of Paine’s death in 1809. Starting in 1802, Paine had a house on Herring Street, now 309 Bleecker Street.
The Thomas Paine Plaque in Greenwich Village Read Post »
![Marker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the inscription, ‘At his print shop here, Robert Bell published the first edition of Thomas Paine’s revolutionary pamphlet [Common Sense] in January 1776. Arguing for a republican form of government under a written constitution, it played a key role in rallying American support for independence.’ Erected in 1993 by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission – Photo by J. J. Prats](https://thomaspaine.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/thomas-paine-common-sense-788x1024.jpg)
In Common Sense, Paine introduced the concept of modern democracy. This idea is what the “revolution” in the American Revolution rested upon. Self-rule was a by-product of the concept of government “of the people, for the people, by the people.” Before Common Sense, the meaning of “democracy” was diffuse.
Common Sense and the Revolutionary Moment Read Post »
By Barbara Crane My interest in Thomas Paine began when I moved to New Rochelle in 2016 after retirement from decades advancing women’s reproductive health, rights and justice around the world. My earlier academic work had focused on international politics and development, with special attention to the role and influence of transnational networks and policy
Thomas Paine’s Political Influence on Me Read Post »
Paine in life never used “Tom” as his name, neither did friends and acquaintances. His signature was “T Paine.” Public use of “Tom” started in the slanderous 1790s disinformation campaign of the British government. American political enemies picked it up, chiefly the Federalists and the churches.
Say Thomas Paine, Not ‘Tom’ Read Post »
I joined the TPNHA because Paine still lives among us, on bookshelves, yes, but moreso here in The Beacon. There are still statues to be cast, a national monument to be built, national school curriculums to be written, and biographical movies to be made.
Discovering the Truth About Thomas Paine Read Post »
After personal encounters with the Iroquois, Paine sought to learn their language. For the rest of his political and writing career Paine cited them as a model for how a society might be organized. Iroquois influences are noticeable in many of Paine’s ideas.
Thomas Paine and the Iroquois Democracy Read Post »
An incorrigible Europhile for much of my youth, I was not terribly interested in Thomas Paine. The fact that Ronald Reagan was an admirer of Paine didn’t help either. But then I realized that to understand William Blake’s revolutionary sentiment, I had to read Rights of Man
My Discovery and Love of Thomas Paine Read Post »
The Beacon, a freethought journal by Gilbert Vale (1788-1866) was a pivotal, influential social and political publication in the mid-19th century, publishing 587 issues from 1836 to 1851. In the mid-19th century, The Beacon helped to forge a movement against the age’s undemocratic forces.
Gilbert Vale and The Beacon Read Post »
Paine believed in Enlightenment ideals about science. Fascinated by new technologies, Paine tried his hand at designing bridges. He’d change the world by connecting it together. As he wrote, “We have it in our power to begin the world over again.”
Thomas Paine’s Iron Bridge Design Spans the Start of the Industrial Revolution Read Post »
Calculations are objective, there is no room to introduce prejudices. Such a methodology to analyze text was developed by the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies: to make use of proven methods of comparing author features, they took these methods and combined them.
Computer Text Analysis of Thomas Paine’s Writings Read Post »
In 1965, a noted historian, Forest MacDonald, wrote a textbook on the creation of the Republic, E Pluribus Unum. He is known for his rationalizing of slavery, ultra-conservatism, and apologist for all things Southern. But he got one thing right.
Forest MacDonald: An Historian Reveals His Soul Read Post »
Immigration to America was a major impetus for the American Revolution, both physically and intellectually. Thomas Paine welcomed immigrants who were escaping tyranny. In 1776, he wrote in Common Sense, the manifesto of the American Revolution:
Thomas Paine on Immigrants and America as an “Asylum for Mankind” Read Post »
