Professor John Koritansky discusses the importance of Thomas Paine and his work to U.S. history. Koritansky looks at Paine's views on religion and religious freedom, as expressed in "The Age of Reason." This lecture continues from the lecture "Thomas Paine, Part One."
Professor John Koritansky discusses the importance of Thomas Paine and his work to U.S. history. Koritansky looks at the context within which Thomas Paine wrote, the reception of his work, and its content and focuses on "Rights of Man" and "Common Sense."
The Thomas Paine National Historical Association seeks to share the story of Thomas Paine (1737-1809) and gain widespread acknowledgment of Thomas Paine as the primary founder of the United States. The association operates a museum, the Thomas Paine Cottage, and a monument. The cottage once served as Paine's home. Thomas Paine was a pamphleteer and revolutionary, who promoted the concept of human rights and supported both the French and American revolutions. Although he supported the French Revolution, he did not support the execution of Louis XVI—instead proposing that he be exiled to America, since he had financially aided the United States in the Revolutionary War.
The cottage offers exhibits. The association offers educational programs, public speakers, and presentations.
The museum is currently closed for re-cataloging and preservation.
With full-text versions of seven books and essays in addition to five 19th- and early 20th-century biographies, this website presents the life and works of Thomas Paine (1737–1809). Materials include Common Sense, The Rights of Man, The Age of Reason, The Crisis Papers, "African Slavery in America," "Agrarian Justice," and "An Occasional Letter on the Female Sex." These texts are reproduced from The Complete Writings of Thomas Paine, a 1945 publication edited and annotated by historian Philip S. Foner. The site also includes Foner's section introductions and his "Chronological Table of Thomas Paine's Writings." Unfortunately, the site also includes hundreds of broken links to additional essays and letters by Paine. The biographies presented provide works published from 1819 to 1925. The site also reprints Thomas Edison's 1925 essay, "The Philosophy of Thomas Paine," in which he attempted to reawaken interest in Paine.