Walking Tour of Thomas Paine's Philadelphia
Michael Stahler led a guided tour of Philadelphia sites related to Thomas Paine, the author of Common Sense.
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Common Sense
December 18 | 9PM EST | C-SPAN
C‑SPAN.org offers links to books featured on the C‑SPAN networks to make it simpler for viewers to purchase them. C‑SPAN has agreements with retailers that share a small percentage of your purchase price with our network. For example, as an Amazon Associate, C‑SPAN earns money from your qualifying purchases. However, C‑SPAN only receives this revenue if your book purchase is made using the links on this page.
Any revenue realized from this program goes into a general account to help fund C‑SPAN operations.
Please note that questions regarding fulfillment, customer service, privacy policies, or issues relating to your book orders should be directed to the Webmaster or administrator of the specific bookseller's site and are their sole responsibility.
To learn more about this author, listen to our companion podcast
Image Gallery
Benjamin Franklin (Joseph-Siffred Duplessis)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHAxLmpwZyJ9
Benjamin Rush Portrait 1 (Charles Wilson Peale)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHAyLmpwZyJ9
Benjamin Rush Portrait 2 (Charles Wilson Peale)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHAzLmpwZyJ9
Early Philadelphia Waterfront Sketch (Brown University)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHA0Yi5qcGcifQ==
George Washington Portrait (Gilbert Stuart)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHA1LmpwZyJ9
Original Copy Common Sense
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHA2LmpwZyJ9
Rights of Man by Thomas Paine
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The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine
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The Battle of Lexington (William Barnes Wollen)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHA5LmpwZyJ9
Thomas Paine House, New Rochelle, NY
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Thomas Paine Portrait 1 (Laurent Dabos)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHAxMS5qcGcifQ==
Thomas Paine Portrait 2 (Laurent Dabos)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHAxMi5qcGcifQ==
Thomas Paine Portrait 3 (John Wesley Jarvis)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHAxMy5qcGcifQ==
Summary
Englishman Thomas Paine arrived in America in 1774 as the conflict between the colonies and Great Britain was reaching its peak. Up to that point, the colonies were said to have been considering negotiation rather than a separation from Britain. Moved in part by the Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, Paine, a journalist, wrote a 47-page pamphlet, titled Common Sense, in which he made a passionate argument against the British monarchy and for full American independence. Common Sense was published in early 1776, sold several hundred thousand copies, and highly influenced the colonies in their decision to declare independence from Britain on July 4, 1776.
To learn more about this author, listen to our companion podcast
Image Gallery
Benjamin Franklin (Joseph-Siffred Duplessis)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHAxLmpwZyJ9
Benjamin Rush Portrait 1 (Charles Wilson Peale)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHAyLmpwZyJ9
Benjamin Rush Portrait 2 (Charles Wilson Peale)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHAzLmpwZyJ9
Early Philadelphia Waterfront Sketch (Brown University)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHA0Yi5qcGcifQ==
George Washington Portrait (Gilbert Stuart)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHA1LmpwZyJ9
Original Copy Common Sense
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHA2LmpwZyJ9
Rights of Man by Thomas Paine
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHA3LmpmaWYifQ==
The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHA4LnBuZyJ9
The Battle of Lexington (William Barnes Wollen)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHA5LmpwZyJ9
Thomas Paine House, New Rochelle, NY
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHAxMC5qcGcifQ==
Thomas Paine Portrait 1 (Laurent Dabos)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHAxMS5qcGcifQ==
Thomas Paine Portrait 2 (Laurent Dabos)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHAxMi5qcGcifQ==
Thomas Paine Portrait 3 (John Wesley Jarvis)
https://ximage.c-spanvideo.org/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiaW5zaWRlIiwiaGVpZ2h0IjoxMDI0LCJ3aWR0aCI6MTAyNH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJidHNhL2dhbGxlcmllcy9nYWxsZXJpZXNfdHAxMy5qcGcifQ==
Vignettes
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Stephen Fried on Thomas Paine and Benjamin Rush Relationship
Biographer and historian Stephen Fried speaks about the relationship between Thomas Paine and Benjamin Rush and how Rush encouraged Paine to write the pamphlet under the title Common Sense urging American independence from Britain.
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Library of Congress Curator Mark Manivong on First Edition of Common Sense
Library of Congress Curator Mark Manivong shows a first edition of Thomas Paine's Common Sense.
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Related Videos
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Panel Discussion on Thomas Paine
Chris Hedges, Cornel West, and Richard Wolff talked about the importance of Thomas Paine and his most influential works: Common Sense, The Rights of Man, and The Age of Reason. This event was part of Left Forum, a progressive conference held annually in New York City.
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Thomas Paine and Revolutionary History
The panelists talked about Thomas Paine and his role in the Revolutionary War. They focused on Paine's role as author, solider, and Founding Father. Following their prepared remarks they answered questions from audience members.
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Anniversary of Common Sense by Thomas Paine
Panelists discussed the impact of Thomas Paine's Common Sense and his role in U.S. history, and how his views apply today. James Green told the story behind the publication and sale of the Common Sense pamphlet. Brian McCartin refuted some of the myths about Paine. Moderator Judah Freed offered what he felt Paine would say about American politics today. During the event, actors Ralph Archbold and Steve Gulick portrayed Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine respectively. Franklin praised Paine's bravery. Paine read from his pamphlet and talked about his political beliefs. The publication in Philadelphia of Thomas Paine's Common Sense on January 10, 1776, was a watershed of the American Revolution. At the time, a majority of colonists were still wavering about the idea of independence from Great Britain, but Paine's pamphlet galvanized opposition to the Crown and served as the final catalyst for political separation and creation of the first modern republic.
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Tom Paine: A One Man Play
Hans Peterson portrays Thomas Paine in "Tom Paine: A One-Man Play" depicting the life of Mr. Paine.
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1776 Pennsylvania Constitution
Professor John Fea talked about the people and ideas that shaped the Pennsylvania Constitution, written in 1776. Thomas Paine's pamphlet Common Sense was published the same year the Pennsylvania Constitution was drafted and Professor Fea highlighted Paine's influence on the document. He also described how some of the elements of the Pennsylvania Constitution were radical for the time, such as voting rights for all men who paid taxes, without any additional property or wealth qualifications.
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Rise and Fall of Thomas Paine
Historian Richard Bell talked about Thomas Paine's popularity in 1776 after publishing Common Sense and his reputational decline after the American Revolution. This virtual program was hosted by the Smithsonian Associates.