During a period of time when the British Empire held control over their eastern colonies in North America, British rule was absolute. The colonists considered it illegal and unfair laws and taxes where there wasn’t colonists’ representation in British Parliament. Eventually this and other events such as the Stamp Act, Boston Massacre and Tea Party, among others led to a revolution against British rule that started around the year 1763. Throughout this era, many colonists supported the British Empire and were known as loyalists, others became patriots or Americans to this revolutionary movement. Among the many patriots one of them was Thomas Paine which introduced a document called Common Sense. This document rejected British rule, and gained immense popularity that contributed to strengthening the American Revolution.
This document was intended to motivate the American colonies into comprehending that the British Empire was not aiming to look at the best interest for them. Paine wrote, “I have heard it asserted by some (loyalists to British rule), that as America hath flourished under her former connexion with Great Britain, that the same connexion is necessary towards her future happiness, and will always have the same effect. Nothing can be more fallacious than this kind of argument.” Paine symbolizes America as a growing “female” child, therefore making Great Britain as its mother, due mostly to the part that Great Britain started the majority of the eastern American colonies. Paine wrote, “Let Britain wave her pretension to the continent (North America), or the continent throw of the dependence (from British rule).” He also discuses the status of America’s commerce as well as status of colonists under British rule. Paine wrote, “we (American) should be at peace with France and Spain were at war with Britain…Her (America) trade will always be a protection, and her bareness of gold and silver secure from invaders.” The compelling arguments regarding, the...