Thomas Paine - "The Crisis"

Excerpt from Thomas Paine's "The Crisis" Pamphlet

Quitting this class of men, I turn with the warm ardor of a friend to those who have nobly stood, and are yet determined to stand the matter out: I call not upon a few, but upon all: not on this state or that state, but on every state: up and help us; lay your shoulders to the wheel; better have too much force than too little, when so great an object is at stake. Let it be told to the future world, that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet and to repulse it. Say not that thousands are gone, turn out your tens of thousands; throw not the burden of the day upon Providence, but "show your faith by your works," that God may bless you. It matters not where you live, or what rank of life you hold, the evil or the blessing will reach you all. The far and the near, the home counties and the back, the rich and the poor, will suffer or rejoice alike. The heart that feels not now is dead; the blood of his children will curse his cowardice, who shrinks back at a time when a little might have saved the whole, and made them happy. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. My own line of reasoning is to myself as straight and clear as a ray of light. Not all the treasures of the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it murder; but if a thief breaks into my house, burns and destroys my property, and kills or threatens to kill me, or those that are in it, and to "bind me in all cases whatsoever" to his absolute will, am I to suffer it? What signifies it to me, whether he who does it is a king or a common man; my countryman or not my countryman; whether it be done by an individual villain, or an army of them? If we reason to the root of things we shall find no difference; neither can any just cause be assigned why we should punish in the one case and pardon in the other.

Reflection:

I chose this passage of Thomas Paine’s pamphlet “The Crisis” because it interested me in the sense that it allowed the reader to view the reality behind the uprising of the common people of North America to the controlling government of Britain. This was interesting to me because these people decide to follow the path less traveled in fighting for their independence against all odds and I myself have taken on the challenge of following the path less traveled by going to Isaac Bear Early College High School. Not only have I gone to this school but I have also stuck to it where as others have not because they thought the work was too much or that the work was too hard but I kept on fighting for it in a similar way to how the English settlers of America kept on fighting for their independence from the British government. These similarities between my life and the life of the English settlers made me want to read more about the rebellion against the British government because in a way, I rebelled against certain thoughts that I had conjured while going to middle school about obtaining the real high school experience but I instead made my way into Isaac Bear because I knew that it would lead to a better end. Within his pamphlet known as "The Crisis", Thomas Paine incorporates the three literary devices known as logos, pathos, and ethos. We first see Paine use logos when he uses specific quotations to prove the point about it being logical fo rhte people of America to rebel against the British government. Then, Paine uses pathos when he uses figurative language to add power to his speech. Finally Paine uses ethos when he uses a high level of vocabulary to reinforce the importance of the declartion of independence from Britain.

Diary:

Dear Diary,

I just wanted to reiterate the fact that we as people, the English settlers of the New Americas, need to band together to rebel against the British government because they have complete control over us and we are being treated wrongly where as if we were independent and separated from the British government, we as a people could become our own government, form our own ways, and strive to become a community with better goals in sight than we have now. The control of the British government over our people has restricted us to certain limits for long enough, their random taxes on imports from places other than Britain has cost us hard earned money for the last time, we need to take our hatred of the British up a notch and fight back because we are being treated no less than slaves which I know not only angers me, but all of the people of the New Americas as well. We should not be treated this poorly because we have the right to set our own rules and create our own government because we are completely different than they are, we live in a different environment, but we are just the same as they are and yet we do not treat them such as they do us. In conclusion, we, as the people of America, need to turn the tides and fight back for what is truly deserved of our people, INDEPENDENCE!

Patriotism

Political Extension:

Essential Question Answer:

Refer to "Give me Liberty or give me Death"-Patrick Henry Essential Question Answer.