Thomas Paine's Common Sense

Words: 281
Pages: 2

I was impressed with how the beliefs of Thomas Paine, John Witherspoon, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson influenced the formation of the American nation. Thomas Paine’s pamphlet “Common Sense” is a piece of history that I had forgotten about. The module was a reminder to how much Paine’s words on human rights influenced Thomas Jefferson and his drafting of the Declaration of Independence. Another influential person was the often overshadowed John Witherspoon, a pastor and the Princeton University president. Witherspoon created revolutionary ripple effects while training American statesmen and politicians. His 1776 sermon, “The Dominion of Providence over the Passions of Men,” highlights the cultural undertones of political and economic