Thomas Paine (1737-1809) was an English-American political activist, philosopher, political theorist, and revolutionary. He authored the two most influential pamphlets at the start of the American Revolution, Common Sense (1776) and The American Crisis (1776-1783). His ideas and writings influenced the American Revolution and helped shape the United States of America. He was also a key figure in the French Revolution. Paine was born in Thetford, England, and was educated at Thetford Grammar School. He was apprenticed to his father, a corset maker, but was unhappy with the trade. He later became a stay-maker in London. In 1774, he emigrated to the British American colonies, where he wrote Common Sense, which was published in January 1776. It was an instant success and was widely read. Paine's writings were influential in the American Revolution, and he was a key figure in the French Revolution. He wrote The Rights of Man (1791-1792), in response to Edmund Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790). He was also a strong advocate of the abolition of slavery. Paine died in New York City in 1809. He is remembered as one of the most influential political thinkers of the 18th century.
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