Thomas Paine (1737-1809) was an English-born political philosopher and writer whose works significantly influenced the American and French revolutions. In 1774, he emigrated to the American colonies with the assistance of Benjamin Franklin, arriving just in time to participate in the burgeoning revolutionary movement. His pamphlet Common Sense (1776) was instrumental in galvanizing public support for American independence from Britain.Following the American Revolution, Paine returned to Europe and became involved in the French Revolution. He authored Rights of Man (1791-1792), a defense of the French Revolution and a call for political rights and social reforms. During this period, he was elected to the French National Convention but was later imprisoned due to his opposition to the execution of King Louis XVI.Paine's later work, The Age of Reason (1794-1807), critiqued organized religion and promoted deism, leading to widespread controversy. He returned to the United States in 1802 but faced ostracism for his religious views. Despite his significant contributions to revolutionary thought, Paine died in relative obscurity in 1809.
