Mark Wilensky - The Elementary Common Sense of Thomas Paine: An Interactive Adaptation for All Ages

M y decision to write this adaptation and put together the book you are now reading created a lot of consternation for me. The purist in me recoiled in horror at the thought of touching a single word of this historic document. But the educator half of me successfully argued (and believed) that introducing students at a young age to our historic source documents would help lead to a lifelong love of history and an active involvement in American life.

But reading historic documents isnt easy to do. Most of these documents are inaccessible for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that they are often difficult to understand. I knew it would be wonderful for students to read and live history at an early age, and then delve even deeper as their understanding grew. What I needed was a gateway document to make this happen. This is, of course, what educators do: supply help up front and slowly remove that assistance once students get more independent in their learning. Hence The Elementary Common Sense of Thomas Paine my answer to the question of how to help my students understand, appreciate, and begin to love American History as much as I do.

I. Thomas Paines Common Sense is one of Americas greatest founding documents. It is also one of the greatest persuasive essays ever written. If you are just starting to learn about American history, lets face it: its also pretty darn hard to read these documents in their original form.

We were not alive when these documents were writteneating, sleeping, and experiencing these events day-by-day, week-by-week, year-by-yearso it is hard for us to get a real sense of how scary and crazy things really were during that time. Whats more, these historic documents reference all kinds of things that were common knowledge back then, but can leave us befuddled or scratching our heads now.

II. Common Sense was a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1775 (published in 1776) while incredible events were happening in Colonial America. Its publication had a tremendous impact on future events. Although Thomas Paine was born and raised in England, he didnt like it much. Growing up there, he experienced firsthand what it was like to live day in and day out under a king and a system of government that didnt recognize individual potential. Thomas also believed that Parliament and kings were unconcerned with how ordinary citizens lived, and unless you were lucky enough to be born in a titled or elite family, you had little hope of living a happy or full life.

Luckily, Thomas met Benjamin Franklin during one of Franklins many stays in England. Ben suggested that Thomas sail to North America and write about injustices of life under a monarchy. Ben even wrote him a recommendation letter.

Early in 1774, Thomas Paine arrived in Colonial America in Philadelphia. He came when many in the thirteen colonies were extremely angry at Parliament and Lord North (the Prime Minister of England). Surprisingly, a majority of the colonists still liked King George III, and felt deeply loyal to him.

Paine immediately went to work writing for a new magazine. He wrote his opinions on a wide variety of issues, including the need for womens rights and abolishing slavery. But the one subject that Paine was absolutely obsessed with was the idea that all people were born with freedoms, and living under the English Constitution was not freedom.

III . By the time Paines pamphlet Common Sense appeared, war had already broken out. A complete misjudgment of the colonists anger triggered fighting at Lexington and Concord in April of 1775. Bunker Hill, the siege of Quebec, and conflicts around Boston, Massachusetts, followed. When war broke out, the city of Boston was under British military rule, which harshly taught the colonists a lesson in obedience. However, even though there had been fighting, the idea of complete independence from England was not really what most of the colonists and many of the representatives in the Continental Congress wanted. Much of the population was confident that the current situation was just a series of disagreements and misunderstandings between the mother country and its children. Not only that, many believed that King George III would eventually agree that the colonists demands for less meddling in colonial affairs was reasonable, and that he would step in and force parliament to address those concerns. When that happened, many believed, everyone could make up and go back to being loyal British subjects and making a living.

IV. Thomas Paine, however, made it personal.

Common Sense was a powerful weapon because he made the monarchy the target of his ferocious and well reasoned arguments. Indeed, much of Common Sense is a direct written attack against kings in general, and George III in particular. Why do we have kings? Where did they come from? Why keep them? Paines 46-page pamphlet tried to convince Americans that they were misplacing their anger at Parliament, when they really should be furious at King George III. If Paine could persuade the readers of Common Sense that the King was the real cause of the suffering in American Colonies, then citizens would unite into a cohesive voice for separation, independence, and liberty.

V . I really hope that this book helps spark your interest in the founding of our remarkable country, and that it will make you want to continue reading Americas original founding documents. This is one of the most important ways for you to understand how amazingand unique America is in world history. This country was founded on ideas that did not really exist anywhere else in the world. Thousands of people played very different, but critical parts in Americas beginning. It is scary to think that the absence of even one of those parts might have derailed our founding and resulted in no United States of America (think of it like a giant jigsaw puzzle).