wanted to make thecolonies understand that liberty was the natural right ofevery human being. His work was to make all men long fortheir birthright. Paine wrote a pamphlet. Common Sensewhich urged this colonial cause. Its influence wastremendous, and it was read everywhere, and receivedenthusiastic response. Consider these words, and what kind of effect it wouldhave on the American patriot: When I contemplate the dignity of man; when Ifeel for the honor and happiness of its character, I becomeirritated at the attempt to govern mankind by force andfraud, as if they were all knaves and fools and can scarcelyavoid disgust at who are these imposed upon.(Paine)and.....A constitution is not the act of a government ,but of a people constituting a government; and governmentwithout a constitution is power without a right. All powerexercised over a nation must have some beginning. It mustbe either delegated or assumed. There are no other sources. All delegated power is trust, and all assumed power isusurpation. Time does not alter the nature and quality ofeither. (Paine)These words not only rallied the troops, but ralliedthe colonies. Paines sentiments were then echoed by ThomasJefferson in the Declaration of Independence. All men are created equal; that they are endowedby their creator with inherent and inalienable rights; thatamong these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness;that to secure these rights governments are instituted amongthem, deriving their just powers from the consent of thegoverned. ( Jefferson)Some people would have you believe that politicalsloganeering is a new invention, and that skillful,manipulation by the media corrupts the political process.However, without Common Sense and the Declaration ofIndependence it is hard to believe that the Americancolonies would have unified to produce the United States....
