Common Sense

Synopsis

The late 18th century found the world in the grip of an ideological battle. On one side, the old ways — monarchism, imperialism, colonialism. On the other, the new — republicanism, egalitarianism, freedom. Of the thinkers and theorists operating at this tumultuous time, few have become more influential and more renowned than thomas paine. Paine's writings, the age of reason and the rights of man, became formative texts in the development of the fledgling united states, assisting policymakers and leaders as they navigated the early years of statehood.