History's HEROES? 1737 - 1809

Thomas Paine

Thomas Paine - Key facts

• 1737	February 9th - Thomas Paine is born in Thetford, Norfolk, to Joseph and Frances Paine. His father is a stay-maker.
• 1759	September 27th - Thomas marries Mary Lambert. Her father had been an excise officer. She dies a year later in childbirth. The baby dies too.
• 1760 - 1770	Thomas mostly works as an excise officer.
• 1771	March 26th - Thomas marries Elizabeth Ollive. The previous year, he had set up a tobacco business with Elizabeth and her mother.
• 1774	Thomas is fired for writing a pamphlet demanding better pay and conditions. He separates from his wife and moves to London with £45.
	He meets Benjamin Franklin who suggests he emigrates to America. He arrives in Philadelphia very sick.
• 1775	The American Revolution begins. Thomas gets a job as a magazine editor.
• 1776	Thomas publishes 'Common Sense' which presents good arguments for Americans becoming independent. It is read widely.
	July 4th - American Declaration of Independence is made; the 13 American colonies are now independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire.
• 1776-83	Thomas fights, writes and raises money for George Washington's army to help them to victory.
• 1787	Thomas travels to France and Britain, visits his mother and looks for sponsors for a single-span iron bridge he has designed.
• 1789	The outbreak of the French Revolution.
• 1791-92	Thomas publishes 'The Rights of Man'. It calls for a democracy, and proposes a Republican government. The second part proposes helping the poor through a system of income tax. It is widely read.
• 1792	Thomas is charged with 'seditious writings'. He flees to France where he is made an honourary citizen and elected to the National Convention.
• 1793	France declares war on Britain. King Louis XVI is executed and Thomas is put in prison for supporting the king.
• 1794	Thomas Paine finishes writing the 'Age of Reason' while in prison. Robespierre is executed and Thomas is released from prison.
• 1795	The 'Age of Reason' makes him many enemies because it attacks organised religion.
• 1800-02	Thomas meets Napoleon who claims to admire his work. But Thomas becomes disgusted that Napoleon is becoming a dictator so returns to America.
• 1803	Thomas helps the United States to buy Louisiana.
• 1809	Thomas health has been getting worse for some time and he dies on 8th June. Very few people go to his funeral. He is buried on his farm in New Rochelle, New York.

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