FAQs

Paine was trained at an early age to follow his father's trade as a staymaker. The first biography of Paine by Oldys (who was paid by an English Lord to slander Paine) characterized Paine as "corset-maker" to deride him. This is one of the many slanders spread to this day to discredit him. Paine trained […]

Paine was a strong advocate for women's equal rights, but he did not promote it publicly. His early writings reflect sympathy for women's social, economic and political rights. He collaborated with Catherine Macaulay in his early writing career in the 1760s, and he associated and worked closely with Mary Wollstonecraft in England in the early

He favored the idea of the Constitution to establish the government (it was his idea in 1783), but he strongly argued against the conservative and elitist nature of it. He attacked two major areas: a single executive, and a two-body legislature, one being smaller and more powerful than the other. He favored only a representative

Thomas Paine is the only Founder without a gravesite. The story of his remains reflect the collossal life and works of Paine himself and his legacy. He was first buried in New Rochelle, NY on his farm, after the Quakers refused him, in a town very hostile to him. A Paine admirer, William Cobbett, himself

No. Paine was an only child, and he never had children (that survived). There have been several claims or beliefs from people thinking they are descendants because of similar names, or family mythologies. But none have borne out. The claims center around three possibilities (all of which have been proven false): first, that from Paine's

Paine never signed his name "Tom" Paine. He always used Thomas. "Tom" was invented by his detractors, and they were the only ones who used it in the beginning. "Tom" came from the attacks and slanders by his enemies (the churches and the monarchists and some of the Federalists) as a way to demean him

Yes. Previously it was claimed that American Crisis III was the source of this name. There are at least two private letters who use the language "united States of America", but they use "united" (small "U") as an adjective. However, writing as "Republicus" on June 29, 1776 Paine made the first public declaration calling for

Like most topics in American history, there are two camps of historians. One group, which has emerged since the 1960's, recognizes Paine as the preeminent Founder. As the 200 years of institutional neglect of Paine has lost its hold on scholarship, many historians and authors are correcting the record and bringing Paine to the forefront.

Not only was he in favor of it, but the concept in modern times originates with him. Even in his early writings he makes reference to it, but in Rights of Man and Agrarian Justice it becomes a central tenet in his philosophy of government. Paine says that no one should live in a condition

No. He left for Europe two months before the Convention began, but he was not invited. His democratic views of government would have put him in conflict with most of the convention members, the wealthiest men in America.

No. Several authors have made a case for Paine being the author, but the mainstream of historians have dismissed it. What can be said is that Common Sense prepared the framework and indeed much of the specific language of the Declaration. Common Sense spurred most states, cities, towns and counties to write their own Declarations

No. Again, most of the "biographies" and myths about Paine originate from the early slander campaign by the British royalty and the Federalists, and that is where this myth started. Paine resided with the most prosperous, gentile people of his day, including Lords. They all praise his habits, temperment, and politeness. WJ Linton in a